Cruel To Be Kind
Kindness Unveiled: A Wretched Elegy in Alexis Mahler's Melody
Lyrics
I watched from a distance
I observed from a distance
as you lit up the room
As you brought light to the room
surely I am not the only one
Surely, I am not the only one
who sees the light that comes from you
Who recognizes the brightness that emanates from you
and although you lost your voice out there
Even though you lost your voice in that situation
you found it in the gravel
You found it in the gravel
by the road of dirt
By the dirt road
that I have often traveled
That I frequently travel on
oh, you wretched, vivid thing
Oh, you miserable yet vivid thing
please stay off my mind
Please stay out of my thoughts
don’t you know how cruel it is to be so kind?
Do you not realize how unkind it is to be overly nice?
all the jewel and fennel, coriander
All the valuable and fragrant herbs
you gathered where the brook meanders
You gathered where the stream winds
past the fire hydrants, road signs and the phone lines
Past fire hydrants, road signs, and phone lines
past the broken spigots, broken bricks
Past broken spigots and on unrepaired brick roads
on broken brick roads we won’t fix
We won't fix the broken brick roads
past schools and cemeteries, public libraries
Past schools, cemeteries, and public libraries
well, you shook and took, forsook me like a storm that knew my name
Well, you shook and abandoned me like a storm that knew my name
a wind that grew until it blew the storm clouds all away
A wind that intensified until it blew away all the storm clouds
you wretched, vivid thing
You miserable yet vivid thing
please stay off my mind
Please stay out of my thoughts
don’t you know how cruel it is to be so kind
Do you not realize how unkind it is to be overly nice?
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