It was so much worse the second time.

Because the hour I met you I knew it was doomed

But I lied, and said I'd have you all to myself.

Lied, and said I could keep you forever.

The hour I met you I knew it was doomed

You were destined to go on to wither and fade

But I lied, and said I could keep you forever

And not stay stagnant behind you.

And then you went forward to wither and fade

Fate did my dirty work when the handle slipped from your grasp

And I stayed stagnant behind you

Knowing how blessed you were to have escaped.

Fate did my dirty work when the handle slipped from your grasp

And you joined the ranks of the ones I'd lost.

I knew how blessed you were to have escaped

But I still reached for you with the tips of my fingers

You joined the ranks of the ones I'd lost

Pushed to your crack and corner of time

But I still reached for you with the tips of my fingers

Grasping at smoke and choking on your name

I showed you every crack and corner of time

But I could never give you my forever

So I grasped at smoke and choked on your name.

Because you'd found the one corner safe from my reach.

I could never give you my forever.

But you insisted on giving me yours.

You'd found the one corner safe from my reach

And fought your way back into the fire.

You insisted on giving me yours,

And I had no excuse now to turn you away

You'd fought your way back into the fire,

And you wouldn't leave empty-handed.

I had no excuse now to turn you away;

Hell was saying no to that chance.

But you wouldn't leave empty-handed-

His hand was warm and fit better into yours.

Hell was saying no to that chance

But my real curse is being able to go back

While his hand is warm and fits better into yours

I could spy on the time when our hands fit together

My real curse is that I'm able to go back

So it takes all my strength to ever go forward

I could spy on the time when our hands fit together

Or risk the universe for another encounter

It takes all my strength to ever go forward

Not to entrench myself in your heart and let it swallow me up like a tar pit

I'd risk the universe for another encounter

And the world itself for the colors you brought into it

I could entrench myself in your heart and let it swallow me up like a tar pit

Aren't my hearts better for having beaten next to yours?

And the world itself better for the colors you brought into it?

Which is why I have to see it with the eyes you gave me.

My hearts are better for having beaten next to yours,

And I must honor your heart and your memory:

Go see the world with the eyes you gave me

Not let it be in vain by staying dead in the mud.

I must honor your heart and your memory.

After all, you're the reason a dead man rose.

I can't let it be in vain by staying dead in the mud

But I must rise, too, leaving your named behind

You're the reason a dead man rose,

And I know that somewhere, your own heart beats strong,

So I must rise, too, leaving your name behind,

Though I'll stroke the dirt one last time with my fingertips

I know that somewhere, your own heart beats strong

So I'll carry your colors in my hearts' corners.

And stroke the dirt one last time with my fingertips

And carry it under my nails, and know you're safe.