His mother picked up his sister from our house. She said he’s not answering his phone we have to go.
His mother, young enough to be my daughter, cut him down.
His sister ran to the neighbor, my friend: he’s dead he’s dead.
My friend knelt over him in the hallway for two hours doing CPR until the paramedics came. Two hours.
The paramedics worked for two hours before they gave up.
My friend texted me. He just didn’t have the strength for the phone call.
I told my wife. She cried.
We talked. We told our daughter. She cried. Her first death.
My wife said I have to be there. We went over.
We hugged everybody. Everybody hugged everybody.
There was no crying left.
Three months later I wrote this song.
I finally cried.
D A C G
I really don’t blame him he chose not to call
he’d been there for hours crouched in the hall
he sent me the message my heart tore in two
said someone was dead he said it was you
there should have been bells
so everyone would know
’cause the silence is killing me
since you had to go
Why didn’t I see you were so lost?
Would have done anything, paid any cost
But I never asked, and you never said
And some days I wish, it was me instead
chorus
no matter how black there’s always hope
but it’s hard to see at the end of your rope
in the middle of love now there’s a hole
silence so loud taking its toll
chorus x2