These Days

That girl from way back when
She didn’t know what she had
She didn’t know who she was
All she ever did was depend on your love, your love

Love of a mother, sister
Love that was fierce and true
Love of a martyr, soldier
Love I imperfectly knew for a time

I look up from the days that pass
And find my tears have fogged the hourglass

And realize these days are so much shorter
Since you’ve been gone
But I'm standing much taller than I had before
Who knew that your shoulders
Stayed beneath my feet all along

Maybe that door never closed

Memories that hold me fast
Wash up upon my mind
Like tea leaves in my mug
Like chocolate strawberry
Smiles we once shared back then

I stand in awestruck of your
Backbone of peace and light
I reach back for your power
To persevere through this fight one more day

Then I look in the mirror and see
That everyday you’re looking back at me

And realize these days are so much shorter
Since you’ve been gone
But I'm standing much taller than I had before
Who knew that your shoulders
Stayed beneath my feet all along

Maybe that door never closed

Ah Marie, you fought the good fight
With the softness of the haze glow
From the rainbow jettisoned from a bitter storm

From this cruel providence
The fortitude of your strength was magic
Nothing short of magic

What you brought, magic
What you left, magic
In my heart where you will always stay

And realize these days are so much shorter
Since you’ve been gone
But I'm standing much taller than I had before
Who knew that your shoulders
Stayed beneath my feet all along

Maybe that door never closed

These days my heart has grown fonder with distance and time
Never knowing the fullness of your love in this life
I always wonder if I would be the same if you could’ve stayed

These days are so much shorter
But I'm standing, I'm standing much taller
Right on your shoulders, right on your shoulders

I always wonder if I would be the same if you could have stayed