Vague and Splendid Flight

Audio Recording on Tuesday morning

Audio Recording on Sunday night

High School Romance

I was lost
I was hungry
I was scared of any hand that tried to feed me
Because that food, it would become
My own flesh and bones and blood
Who was anyone to try to put that in me?
Who was Earth herself to try to put that in me?

In the dark
I was naked
I was scared of any hand that tried to fix that
I'll stand up and try to fight
And I'll turn on my own light
And I'll cross my arms against me as protection
Not another day in debt to your protection.

And you said, "I will love you, I will love you, I will love you,"
And you said, "I will never do you wrong"
But the earth started shaking
And my hands they started slipping
And it seemed to me you couldn't hold them long

And my mother said you were wiser
But I said, "All your books have smaller words than mine, sir"
I said, "I've never cared a bit
That I can't see what I hit
They'll still find me fingers wrapped around my pistol
Bury me beside the men in my lace and crystal."

And you said, I will love you, I will love you, I will love you
And you said, "I've no doubt you can be strong"
And how simple and steady 
Was the hand you held out to me
But the road I had to run away was long.

Still the world
Grew around me
I sat down and took a breath and then it found me.
When I grew tired of running free
This running truth caught up to me.
I beat the earth and beat my chest and prayed for bruises
When I couldn't beat the sky I spat my curses

Still you said, "I will love you, I will love you, I will love you,"
And I said, "Oh, my Lord, I've been a fool.
I don't need you to love me
Turn your shining face away from me
Let me look upon your back or not at all.

I didn't hate
That you helped me
It was more that you expected nothing from me
So you let me turn around,
But what a funny truth I found,
No less strange a paradox than Patrick's clover:
My heart's only fully mine when I give it over
So I gave it over

And I said, I will love you, I will love you, I will love you
In the same way you've loved me all along
Because I told you I'm broken
And I feared no condescension
It's not weak to let somebody make you strong.

And I said, I will love you, I will love you, I will love you
In the same way you've loved me all along
Because I told you I'm broken
And I feared no condescension
It's not weak to let somebody make you strong.

Oh, I said, I will love you, I will love you, I will love you
It's not weak to let somebody make you strong
Yes, I told you I'm broken
And I feared no condescension
Let me sit beside you and sing my mercy song.


Hanna Crooks