Having Been Is No Way to Be

[Verse 1]
Oh, I was naive
My shoes were untied
In Heaven everything is just fine
But the phones are dead
And so is the light
And so are you
And, honey, so am I
But the Earth still turns
For the unconcerned
Days pass below like train windows
I was a sapling tree
The birds looked like me
Oh, I begged my nerves to kick me something new

[Chorus 1]
From time to time
I'd watch you sleep
Oh, I wonder how much freedom we can dream
And I'm sorry when you wake up to me

[Verse 2]
I just got tired
Shining steady like a spider web's an empty stage
Now people say
What drugs did you take
And why don't you start taking them again?
But they're not my friends
And if I was dead
What difference would it ever make to them
If I got high?

[Chorus 2]
From time to time
Oh, I wonder how much freedom you would need
And I'd be sorry when you wake up to me

[Verse 3]
I'm reaching out to you
I'm writing all the time
I don't see deep but I see far and wide
I see dead trees
But the roots have leaves
Just because I can't describe it doesn't mean I shouldn't try
To untwist the knife
To unmake my mind
Having been is no way to be alive

[Chorus 3]
And I'm alive
When I watch you sleep
I wonder how much freedom we need
And I'm here when you wake up to me
And I'm still here when you wake up to me