we broke the soil
we dug a hole
we cursed and sweat
we paused to catch our breath
we aren’t naive our backs will ache smashing this clay
we’ve done this before

we broke the soil
we lowered down
the sprouted roots
we laid a bed
of nourishment offered by the dead
buried beneath the blackest earth and water for its thirst
our hopes in the ground
we lowered down

what an outrageous act of faith to plant this fragile life
with expectation it will grow against the winds of time

we tend the limbs
we measure years
in pinkish blooms
we know we’ll never eat the fruit
it is enough to know that someone will, like we’ve been filled
‘cause once someone else
tended limbs

what an outrageous act of faith, to plant so that someday
a younger soul who passes here might lay down in the shade
what an outrageous act of faith, to plant so that one day
a younger soul will pass by here and lay down in the shade

we broke the soil
we lowered down
we aren’t naive our backs will ache smashing this clay
our hopes in the ground
we lowered down
we’ve done this before
we broke the soil

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words and music by Shannon Curtis
published by Shannon K (ASCAP)
all rights reserved; lyrics reprinted by permission