Telescope by Stephen Cluff A scratch On the lens; Light bends. Grit In the works; The mechanism hurts. And no matter what you say Without proof it fades away No matter what you say They'll take it all away Dust On the mirror You'll never see clear That is the greatest fear Too much light On the plate Clouds all debate It's growing far too late And no matter what you say Without proof it fades away No matter what you say They'll take it all away Air In the lines Limits and confines Compromises all designs Rust On the gears Can waste years And a galaxy of tears And no matter what you say Without proof it fades away No matter what you say They'll take it all away

Hello? By Stephen Cluff Hello. How have you been? You know, it's been quite awhile. I hope that you’ve had a good life. It’s been too long since I last saw your smile. I guess you're right, my voice has changed That's ok 'cause I've got some grey hairs too. But you, oh you still sound just the same I'm glad the years have been kinder to you. I know, I know I'm probably moving too fast But I can never tell How long connections will last Please wait, please wait But there are things I must say Because you knew me before Life bruised me this way I've been told that I wear my heart on my sleeve All my pain, all my frustrations there too. There's just so much that I'm aching to say I'd like to tell all my secrets to you. I know, I know I'm probably moving too fast But I can never tell How long connections will last Please wait, please wait But there are things I must say Because you knew me before Life bruised me this way I'm sorry maybe I just jumped the gun. Perhaps I said a more than I should say. I'll take it back, give me one more chance And I'll hide these parts of me discretely away. Oh I see... you've got to go. No, no. The pleasure's been all mine. Say hello to your mom and your dad Feel free to call again any old time.

Near Out of Control By Stephen Cluff Some time ago There was a girl She was taught not to be seen Taught not to be heard Taught not to disturb She was misunderstood and underestimated But she didn't see yet what she was made of No No No No She changed her hair And changed her clothes But the black she preferred Didn't hide her well It only made the attention swell And she tried to live down to the assumptions they made She embraced their sins, dug for an early grave She did Yes she did She did Yes she did There she goes Near out of control There she goes Near out of control There she goes There she goes There she goes So very nearly out of control She finally escaped Got out on her own Found a new town Found some new friends Found a lot off brand new dead ends She discovered that it was even harder When she learned a few people were out to harm her Yes she did Yes she did And she had to learn some things the hardest way But she punched through that night into a bloody new day She did Yes she did She did Oh yeah she did There she goes Near out of control There she goes Near out of control There she goes There she goes There she goes So very nearly out of control Self discipline A grip like stone Even when it was bad She managed not to stray Beyond the lines that she carefully laid That was long ago, now she's built a skin of steel That surrounds her tight and protects what she feels It does Yes it does And line upon line and brick upon brick She has gathered all the shards and made the pieces fit She has Yes she has And no one can get in without her permission Unless they brave all the mines and her steely intuition No No No No

My Own Way Home By Stephen Cluff The sun's bright song fills a blue vaulted sky All other eyes are closed because throats are too dry But its humming in my bones I still feel it humming in my bones Sunset unfurls beyond the distant hills But they are all too tired and have had their fill But I must go on I've only just begun. Don't worry about me I'll find my own way home Just let me be, let me be I'll find my own way home The dark surf growls against the distant stones Everyone's attention turns to warm beds in quiet homes. I'm on my own in this need To swim through that foam Don't worry about me I'll find my own way home Just let me be, let me be I'll find my own way home No one could teach me what I'm learning here No words could convey what's becoming so clear No eyes could see this new view divine No heart feels this changing pulse but mine Crystal stars are scattered in glowing rivers and seas And everyone's too tired to look above the nearest trees. But Its all right To be alone tonight Don't worry about me I'll find my own way home Just let me be, let me be I'll find my own way home I still need to roam I'll find my own way home My soul like a forest groans I'll find my own way home Its humming in my bones I'll find my own way home I still need to roam I'll find my own way home

Mother May I By Stephen Cluff Mother may I hold your hand? I'm feeling lost and I could use a friend. Mother may I just stand close? Its getting dark and I think I've seen a ghost. Can you understand? Oh, mother Can you understand? Daddy can we disagree? What's true for you doesn't always feel true for me. Daddy is it ok to cry? There's a sadness I don't always want to hide. Can you understand? Oh, daddy Can you understand? I don't know what I am doing. I don't know what I can do. What if this path that I'm pursuing Doesn't lead me back to you? Mister Mayor can I step on the grass? Can I drive this nail without having to ask? Can I say my peace Without a city pass? Holy Father, Bishop and Priest Can I reveal my full span or will you clip my wings? Can I love who I love who I love And still find a seat at Heaven's feast? Can you understand? Can you understand? How do I keep it all together When I don't even know which way is up? My tide changes like the weather How do you know when enoughs enoughs enough? I don't know what I'm afraid of. I don't know what I should fear. What if all that I'm construing, Just up and disappears? Mother may I just come home? This indifferent world has me feeling so alone.

I AM ALIVE By Stephen Cluff Sunrise came too early tonight Daybreak cuts deep like a cliched knife She's still somehow surrounded in starlight I am alive. The primal spotlight moves slowly up the sky Safety shrinks like shadows before it flies But stark beauty exists that cannot be denied I am alive. Hours crawl dragging that well-worn weariness in Millimeter masks, careless facades are wearing thin But honesty stirs and trembles beneath the skin I am alive. Darkness brings relief from the unflinching light Releasing a calm steeped slowly from the night Her smile stirs, a blossom amidst the blight I am alive.

VIEW FROM THIS MOUNTAIN By Stephen Cluff I live on this mountain I live here all alone It seems I've always been here And I've watched you all while you've grown Now its getting harder to make theses pieces fit Its getting harder to be away But I'm trying harder to make these pieces fit. Trying hard to stay out of my own way The view from this mountain Isn't what I expected to see The view from this mountain Only reveals myself differently High above the tree line The air is quiet and still but cold I can see for miles and miles But cannot reach anything solid to hold And its getting harder to keep it to myself Its a struggle not letting those words fly Its getting colder and the solitude doesn't fit Like it used to The view from this mountain Isn't what I wanted to find The view from this mountain Only shows me what's not mine And its getting harder to think in this thin air Its a challenge sometimes to simply breathe The ground is trembling, it shifts beneath my feet I'm afraid to stay, I'm afraid to leave. The view from this mountain Is no longer good enough for me The view from this mountain Only reveals what I already see

BURY ME IN LEAVES By Stephen Cluff In the front yard with my father As wood smoke curls in through the trees Dad uses his old red rake to gather for me A growing pile of leaves Our laughter rises as the temperature falls And dad's strong arms bury me with care I'm surprised at the warmth found in this chill autumn breeze Only my upturned laughing face remains bare. (I want it back, I want it back) Bury me in leaves (I want it back, I want it back) Bury me in leaves (I want it back, I want it back) Bury me in leaves Bury me in leaves Spring and summer have now faded My father and youth are far away It's grown cold and bare branches fracture the sky Looking for warmth on another autumn day (I want it back, I want it back) Bury me in leaves (I want it back, I want it back) Bury me in leaves (I want it back, I want it back) Bury me in leaves Bury me in leaves Sometimes when color and warmth are forgotten I want to walk the forest and lie beneath the trees And resting my head on my folded arm Wait for the wind to bury me in leaves. (I want it back, I want it back) Bury me in leaves (I want it back, I want it back) Bury me in leaves (I want it back, I want it back) Bury me in leaves Bury me in leaves I'm in the front yard with my son now As wood smoke curls in through the trees And I use a brand new rake to gather for him A growing pile of leaves Our laughter rises as the temperature falls And I bury him with care I'm still surprised at the warmth to be found in a chill autumn breeze Only his upturned laughing face remains bare. (I want it back, I want it back) Bury me in leaves (I want it back, I want it back) Bury me in leaves (I want it back, I want it back) Bury me in leaves Bury me in leaves

GIVE YOURSELF AWAY By Stephen Cluff You want to give yourself away To addiction, religion or some really good TV Anything that will pass the time of day Anything that'll keep that emptiness at arm's reach You don't need to put a new book on your shelf You don't need to pray for a bolt out of the blue But if you do not fill that hole yourself There are a thousand things that will fill it in for you You want to give yourself away Pour it all into a shiny new car And drive all through the night every single day Get so lost you never know just where the hell you are You don't need to put a new book on your shelf You don't need to pray for a bolt out of the blue But if you do not fill that hole yourself There are a thousand things that will fill it in for you You want to give yourself away Find new friends and make a comfortable new fiction Learn to say what you should say And it would be nice to be able to say it with some conviction. You don't need to put a new book on your shelf You don't need to pray for a bolt out of the blue But if you do not fill that hole yourself There are a thousand things that will fill it in for you You don't need to put a new book on your shelf You don't need to pray for a bolt out of the blue But if you do not fill that hole yourself There are a million things that will fill it in for you

ANOTHER SHOT AT YOU By Stephen Cluff I need a stab at redemption I need a break to see me through I need the chance to make a difference I need another shot, babe, at you It’s been an incremental, its been a long, inevitable slide That has led far away from the me I once had in sight It’s been a gradual decline, its been a slow, ever downward fall Toward a crushing comfort that safely sets desire beyond recall I need a stab at redemption I need a break, a break to see me through I need the chance to make a difference I need another shot, another shot babe, at you All those ragged thoughts, and all those whispering doubts That fill up the void between and entice when the lights go out All those dark currents swirling in my head when should sleep Driving me to give away everything I should probably keep I need a stab at redemption I need a break to see me through I need the chance to make a difference I need another shot, babe, at you I need a stab at redemption I need a break to see me through I need a chance to make a difference I need another shot, babe, at you

BETWEEN THE LINES By Stephen Cluff Looks like the world has found us again Heavy curtains part as the play begins Though music rises and floodlights soar Shadows wait; I've got mine and you've got yours Grab your wooden sword and wooden smile And lose yourself for awhile But read between the lines To hear what I'm saying Look beyond the cues See past the part I'm playing All these scenes we're running through Filled with stock characters, both false and true Feels too easy sometimes to let it all go To just light the match and watch all the sets blow Grab your wooden sword and wooden smile And lose yourself for awhile But read between the lines To hear what I'm saying Look beyond the cues See past the part I'm playing But read between the lines To hear what I'm saying Look beyond the cues See past the part I'm playing Play it broad and play it loud Remember the fans; give it all to the crowd Can't slip beyond the spotlights and dissappear So break a leg as the gallery cheers. Grab your wooden sword and wooden smile And lose yourself for awhile But read between the lines To hear what I'm saying Look beyond the cues See past the part I'm playing But read between the lines To hear what I'm saying Look beyond the cues See past the part I'm playing

SOMEDAY SOMEDAY WILL COME Stephen Cluff This heart of mine beats so slow Every time she walks away, Despite the weather by rights it feels like There should be snow Calenders define the lines Hourglasses whispering While pocket watch metronome Subdivides Someday, someday... Someday will come Someday, someday... Someday will come And when it does you'll find me here Where I belong And when it does you'll find me here Still holding on Long shadows roam makeshift clocks of stone Overgrown gardens blossom Despite years life here Carries on Someday, someday... Someday will come Someday, someday... Someday will come And when it does you'll find me here Where I belong And when it does you'll find me here Still holding on Seasons change Constellations roam Even mountains fade away I won't Someday, someday... Someday will come Someday, someday... Someday will come And when it does you'll find me here Where I belong And when it does you'll find me here Still holding on This heart of mine beats so slow...