Only Skin. F (133211@1) Amand (x02210@1)there was a booming above you G (320003@1)F (133211@1) Amthat (x02210@1)night, black airplanes flew over the sea F (133211@1) Amand (x02210@1)they were lowing and shifting like beached whales G (320003@1) Fshelled (133211@1)snails Amas (x02210@1)you strained and you squinted to see G (320003@1) F (133211@1) Amthe (x02210@1)retreat of their hairless and blind cavalry G (320003@1) Em7 Dyou (xx0232@1)froze in your sand shoal C (x32010@1) Bbprayed (x1333x@1)for your poor soul F (133211@1) C (x32010@1) Bb (x1333x@1) Dmsky (xx0231@1)was a bread roll, soaking in a milk-bowl Em7 D (xx0232@1) C (x32010@1) Bband (x1333x@1)when the bread broke, fell in bricks of wet smoke F (133211@1) C (x32010@1) Bb (x1333x@1) Dmmy (xx0231@1)sleeping heart woke, and my waking heart spoke F (133211@1) Amthen (x02210@1)there was a silence you took to mean something: G (320003@1) Fmean, (133211@1)run, sing Am (x02210@1) G (320003@1)for alive you will evermore be F (133211@1) Amand (x02210@1)the plague of the greasy black engines a-skulkin' G (320003@1) Fhas (133211@1)gone east G (320003@1) Amwhile (x02210@1)you're left to explain them to me G (320003@1) F (133211@1) Amreleased (x02210@1)from their hairless and blind cavalry G (320003@1) Em7 D (xx0232@1) C (x32010@1) Bbwith (x1333x@1)your hands in your pockets, stubbily running F (133211@1) C (x32010@1) Bb (x1333x@1) Dmto (xx0231@1)where I'm unfresh, undressed and yawning Em7 D (xx0232@1) C (x32010@1) Bbwell, (x1333x@1)what is this craziness? this crazy talking? F (133211@1) C (x32010@1) Bb (x1333x@1) Dmyou (xx0231@1)caught some small death when you were sleepwalking A (x02220@1) Em (022000@1) D (xx0232@1) A (x02220@1)it was a dark dream, darlin', it's over F (133211@1) C (x32010@1) Bb (x1333x@1) Dmthe (xx0231@1)firebreather is beneath the clover A (x02220@1) Em (022000@1) D (xx0232@1) A (x02220@1)beneath his breathing there is cold clay, forever F (133211@1) C (x32010@1) Bb (x1333x@1) Dma (xx0231@1)toothless hound-dog choking on a feather F#m (244222@1) A (x02220@1) Bm (x24432@1) Dbut (xx0232@1)I took my fishingpole (fearing your fever) F#m (244222@1) A (x02220@1) Bm (x24432@1) D (xx0232@1) down to the swimminghole, where there grows a bitter herb F#m (244222@1) A (x02220@1) Bm (x24432@1) Bbadd6 that blooms but one day a year by the riverside - I'd bring it here: F (133211@1) C (x32010@1) apply it gently Bb (x1333x@1) Dmto (xx0231@1)the love you've lent me F (133211@1) Am (x02210@1) while the river was twisting and braiding, the bait bobbed G (320003@1) F (133211@1) Am (x02210@1) Gand (320003@1)the string sobbed, as it cut through the hustling breeze F (133211@1) Am (x02210@1) and I watched how the water was kneading so neatly G (320003@1) Fgone (133211@1)treacly Am (x02210@1)nearly slowed to a stop in this heat G (320003@1) F (133211@1) Am (x02210@1) G- (320003@1)frenzy coiling flush along the muscles beneath Am (x02210@1) C (x32010@1) Em (022000@1) Gpress (320003@1)on me: we are restless things Am (x02210@1) C (x32010@1) Em (022000@1) Gwebs (320003@1)of seaweed are swaddling Am (x02210@1) Cyou (x32010@1)call upon the dusk Em (022000@1) Gof (320003@1)the musk of a squid Am (x02210@1) C (x32010@1) Em (022000@1) Gshot (320003@1)full of ink, until you sink into your crib Dm (xx0231@1) F (133211@1) Am (x02210@1) Crowing (x32010@1)along, among the reeds, among the rushes Dm (xx0231@1) F (133211@1) C (x32010@1) Am7I (x02010@1)heard your song, before my heart had time to hush it! Dm (xx0231@1) F (133211@1) Am (x02210@1) Csmell (x32010@1)of a stone fruit being cut and being opened Dm (xx0231@1) F (133211@1) C (x32010@1) Am7smell (x02010@1)of a low and of a lazy cinder smoking C (x32010@1) G (320003@1) C (x32010@1) G/Band (143121@7)when the fire moves away Am (x02210@1) G (320003@1) Ffire (133211@1)moves away, son C (x32010@1) G (320003@1) C (x32010@1) G/Bwhy (143121@7)would you say Am (x02210@1) G (320003@1) F (133211@1)I was the last one? Fm7 (131141@1) Am (x02210@1) C (x32010@1) Em (022000@1) Gscrape (320003@1)your knee; it is only skin Am (x02210@1) C (x32010@1) Em (022000@1) Gmakes (320003@1)the sound of violins Am (x02210@1) C (x32010@1) Em (022000@1) Gwhen (320003@1)I cut your hair, and leave the birds all of the trimmings Am (x02210@1) C (x32010@1) Em (022000@1)GI'm (320003@1)the happiest woman among all women! C#and (x43121@1)the shallow Fmwater (133111@1) C#m7 (x4242x@1) Fmstretches (133111@1)as far as I can see C# (x43121@1) Eb/C# knee-deep, trudging along C# (x43121@1) Fma (133111@1)seagull weeps; "so long" C# Fm humming a threshing song Fmuntil (133111@1)the night is over hold on! hold on! C#hold (x43121@1)your horses back from the fickle dawn Fm (133111@1)I have got some business out at the edge of town C#candy (x43121@1)weighing both of my pockets down Fm'til (133111@1)I can hardly stay afloat, from the weight of them C#(and (x43121@1)knowing how the common-folk condemn Fmwhat (133111@1)it is I do, to you, to keep you warm C#being (x43121@1)a woman, being a woman) Bbmbut (x13321@1)always up the mountainside you're clambering C# (x43121@1) groping blindly, hungry for anything Bbmpicking (x13321@1)through your pocket linings - well, what is this? C# (x43121@1) Eb (x43121@3) scrap of sassafras, eh Sisyphus? FmI (133111@1)see the blossoms broke and wet after the rain C#little (x43121@1)sister, he will be back again FmI (133111@1)have washed a thousand spiders down the drain C# (x43121@1) spiders ghosts hang soaked and dangeling Bbmsilently (x13321@1)from all the blooming cherry trees C#in (x43121@1)tiny nooses, safe from everyone Bbm (x13321@1) - nothing but a nuisance; gone now, dead and done C# (x43121@1) Ebbe (x43121@3)a woman, be a woman! Fmthough (133111@1)we felt the spray of the waves Bbm (x13321@1) Ab (xx1114@1) Gmdim we decided to stay 'til the tide rose too far Fm (133111@1) Bbmwe (x13321@1)weren't afraid, 'cause we know what you are Am (x02210@1)Bbm (x13321@1)Cmadd6 and you know that we know what you are awful atoll Eb (x43121@3) Dbm7add11 - o, incalculable indiscreetness and sorrow bawl, bellow: Fm (133111@1) Cmadd6 Sibyl sea-cow, all done up in a bow toddle and roll; Ebteeth (x43121@3)an impalpable bit of leather Dbm7add11 while yarrow, heather and hollyhock Fm (133111@1) Eb (x43121@3) Fmawkwardly (133111@1)molt along the shore C#are (x43121@1)you mine? Fm (133111@1) C#my (x43121@1)heart? mine anymore? F (133211@1) C# (x43121@1)stay with me for a while Fthat's (133211@1)an awfully real gun C#I (x43121@1)know life will lay you down Fas (133211@1)the lightning has lately done Amfailing (x02210@1)this, failing this, C (x32010@1) Gfollow (320003@1)me, my sweetest friend F (133211@1) G/F (120003@1) Amto (x02210@1)see what you anointed in pointing your gun there Clay (x32010@1)it down! nice and slow! G (320003@1) Fthere (133211@1)is nowhere to go, save up Am (x02210@1) G (320003@1) Fup (133211@1)where the light, undiluted, is weaving in a drunk dream Am (x02210@1) G (320003@1) Fat (133211@1)the sight of my baby, out back Am (x02210@1) G (320003@1) Fback (133211@1)on the patio watching the bats bring night in Am (x02210@1) Gwhile, (320003@1)elsewhere, estuaries of wax-white F (133211@1) Am (x02210@1) Gwend, (320003@1)endlessly, towards seashores unmapped Em7 D (xx0232@1) C (x32010@1) Bb (x1333x@1) last week our picture window produced a half-word F (133211@1) C (x32010@1) Bb (x1333x@1) Dmheavy (xx0231@1)and hollow, hit by a brown bird Em7 D (xx0232@1) C (x32010@1) Bb (x1333x@1)we stood and watched her gape like a rattlesnake F (133211@1) C (x32010@1) Bb (x1333x@1) Dmand (xx0231@1)pant and labour over every intake A (x02220@1) Em (022000@1) D (xx0232@1) AI (x02220@1)said a sort of prayer for some sort of rare grace F (133211@1) C (x32010@1) Bb (x1333x@1) Dmthen (xx0231@1)thought I ought to take her to a higher place A (x02220@1) Em (022000@1) D (xx0232@1) Asaid: (x02220@1)"dog nor vulture nor cat shall toy with you F (133211@1) C (x32010@1) Bb (x1333x@1) Dmand (xx0231@1)though you die, bird, you will have a fine view" F#m (244222@1) Athen (x02220@1)in my hot hand Bm (x24432@1) Dshe (xx0232@1)slumped her sick weight F#m (244222@1) Awe (x02220@1)tramped through the poison oak Bm (x24432@1) Dheartbroke (xx0232@1)and inchoate F#m (244222@1) Athe (x02220@1)dogs were snapping Bm (x24432@1) Dso (xx0232@1)you cuffed their collars F#m (244222@1) Awhile (x02220@1)I climbed the tree-house Bm (x24432@1) Dthen (xx0232@1)how I hollered! F#m (244222@1) A (x02220@1) Bm (x24432@1) Bbadd6 cause she'd lain, as still as a stone, in my palm, for a lifetime or two F (133211@1) C (x32010@1) Bb (x1333x@1) Dm (xx0231@1)then, saw the treetops, cocked her head and up and flew away and F#m (244222@1) A (x02220@1) back in the world that moves, often Bb (x1333x@1) Bbadd6 according to the hoarding of these clues Fm7 (131141@1) Cdogs (x32010@1)still run roughly around Bb (x1333x@1) Dmlittle (xx0231@1)tufts of finch-down) F (133211@1) Amand (x02210@1)the cities we passed were a flickering wasteland G (320003@1) F (133211@1) Am (x02210@1) G (320003@1)Fbut (133211@1)his hand in my hand made them hale and harmless Amwhile (x02210@1)down in the lowlands the crops are all coming Fwe (133211@1)have everything Amlife (x02210@1)is thundering blissful towards death G (320003@1)F (133211@1) Am (x02210@1) Gin (320003@1)a stampede of his fumbling green gentleness Am (x02210@1) C (x32010@1) Em (022000@1) Gyou (320003@1)stopped by, I was all alive Am (x02210@1) C (x32010@1) Em (022000@1) Gin (320003@1)my doorway, we shucked and jived Am (x02210@1) C (x32010@1) and when you wept, I was gone: Em (022000@1) Gsee, (320003@1)I got gone when I got wise Am (x02210@1) C (x32010@1) Em (022000@1) Gbut (320003@1)I can't with certainty say we survived Dm (xx0231@1) F (133211@1)then down, and down Am (x02210@1)and down, and down Cand (x32010@1)down, and deeper Dm (xx0231@1) Fstoke (133211@1)without sound Cthe (x32010@1)blameless flames Am7you (x02010@1)endless sleeper Dm (xx0231@1) F (133211@1) Am (x02210@1) Cthrough (x32010@1)fire below, and fire above, and fire within Dm (xx0231@1) F (133211@1) C (x32010@1) Am7sleeped (x02010@1)through the things that couldn't have been if you hadn't have been C (x32010@1) G (320003@1) Cand (x32010@1)when the fire moves away Am (x02210@1) G (320003@1) Ffire (133211@1)moves away, son G (320003@1) C (x32010@1) G (320003@1) G/Bwhy (143121@7)would you say Am (x02210@1) G (320003@1) FI (133211@1)was the last one? Am (x02210@1) C (x32010@1) Em (022000@1) Gall (320003@1)my bones they are gone, gone, gone Am (x02210@1) C (x32010@1) G (320003@1) Dmtake (xx0231@1)my bones, I don't need none Am (x02210@1) C (x32010@1) Em (022000@1) Gcold, (320003@1)cold cupboard, Lord, nothing to chew on! Am (x02210@1) C (x32010@1) G (320003@1) Fsuck (133211@1)all day on a cherry stone Am (x02210@1) C (x32010@1) Em (022000@1) Gdig (320003@1)a little hole, not three inches round Am (x02210@1) C (x32010@1) G (320003@1) Dmspit (xx0231@1)your pit in the hole in the ground Am (x02210@1) C (x32010@1) Em (022000@1) Gweep (320003@1)upon the spot for the starving of me! Am (x02210@1) C (x32010@1) G (320003@1) Ftill (133211@1)up grow a fine young cherry tree Am (x02210@1) C (x32010@1) Em (022000@1) Gwell (320003@1)when the bough breaks, what'll you make for me? Am (x02210@1) C (x32010@1) G (320003@1) Dma (xx0231@1)little willow cabin to rest on your knee Am (x02210@1) C (x32010@1) Em (022000@1) Gwhat'll (320003@1)I do with a trinket such as this? Am (x02210@1) C (x32010@1) G (320003@1) Fthink (133211@1)of your woman, who's gone to the west Am (x02210@1) C (x32010@1) Em (022000@1) Gbut (320003@1)I'm starving and freezing in my measly old bed! Am (x02210@1) C (x32010@1) G (320003@1) Dmthen (xx0231@1)I'll crawl across the salt flats to stroke your sweet head Am (x02210@1) C (x32010@1) Em (022000@1) Gcome (320003@1)across the desert with no shoes on! Am (x02210@1) C (x32010@1) G (320003@1) FI (133211@1)love you truly, or I love no-one Fm7 Am fire moves away Fm7fire (131141@1)moves away, son why would you say Fm7I (131141@1)was the last one? Am (x02210@1) GLast (320003@1)one.. clear the room! there's a fire, a fire, a fire Am (x02210@1) G (320003@1)get going, and I'm going to be right behind you F (133211@1) Am (x02210@1) G (320003@1)and if the love of a woman or two, dear, F (133211@1) Am (x02210@1)couldn't move you to such heights, then all I can do G (320003@1)F (133211@1) Amis (x02210@1)do, my darling, right by you
