Hand On The Rope

Put your hand
on the rope.
Not because you're weak.
Because the storm lies.
And the rope tells truth.
I seen men go quiet
when the night got loud
Eyes full of weather
head full of cloud
They said,
I'm good
with a crack
in the voice
Like the edge
of the world
was a personal choice
I know that room
I know that chair
I know that stare
at the wall right there
When the phone feels heavy
and the floor feels thin
And the old dark thought
starts walking in
So don't talk brave
Don't play stone
No one survives
by freezing alone
Put one hand out
when the white wind bites
I found my way back
by holding on tight
No shame
in the reach
No loss
in the need
One hand
one line
Stay here
one more time
Put your hand
on the rope
Don't drift in the white
I found my way back
By holding on tight
Put your hand
on the rope
When the dark gets close
Storms tell lies
But the tether knows
Put your hand
on the rope
Let the cold wind scream
If one heart shakes
Then we all breathe
Put your hand
on the rope
Don't disappear tonight
I found my way back
By holding on tight
This for the worker
with the back gone bad
Still clocking in
with a lunch pail bag
This for the soldier
who can't sleep straight
Doorway checked twice
and the pulse runs late
This for the father
who don't say pain
Just drinks black coffee
and forgets his name
This for the kid
with the headphones loud
Trying to drown out
what the house won't sound
I don't preach soft
I don't sell light
I just know cold
and I know long nights
Metronome stepper
one breath,
then two
If the rope held me
it can hold you too
No shame
in the reach
No loss
in the need
One hand
one line
Stay here
one more time
Put your hand
on the rope
Don't drift in the white
I found my way back
By holding on tight
Put your hand
on the rope
When the dark gets close
Storms tell lies
But the tether knows
Put your hand
on the rope
Let the cold wind scream
If one heart shakes
Then we all breathe
Put your hand
on the rope
Don't disappear tonight
I found my way back
By holding on tight
I am not asking you
to explain the storm.
I am not asking you
to smile at the cold.
I am not asking you
to be fearless.
I am asking you
to keep one hand
on something real
until the wind passes.
That is enough.
That is survival.
That is the oath.
One hand
One rope
One breath
Don't go
One night
One star
Still here
Still ours
One hand
One rope
One breath
Don't go
Line tight
Eyes up
Hold fast
Hold on
Put your hand
on the rope
Don't drift in the white
I found my way back
By holding on tight
Put your hand
on the rope
When the dark gets close
Storms tell lies
But the tether knows
Put your hand
on the rope
Let the cold wind scream
If one heart shakes
Then we all breathe
Put your hand
on the rope
Don't disappear tonight
I found my way back
By holding on tight
Still here.
Line tight.
North Star hidden.
Still guiding.