The Rules (reprise)

from North Pond by Ben Morris

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lyrics

JOSHUA: Never hurt a fly.
CHELSEA: When the end's in sight...
JOSHUA: Keep your socks warm and dry.
CHELSEA: Remember why you write.
JOSHUA: Put trash down underground...
CHELSEA: Don't interfere or intervene.
JOSHUA: ...so rats don't come around.
CHELSEA: Write exactly what you've seen.

JOSHUA: Never spend a dime.
CHELSEA: You must commit the truth to ink.
JOSHUA: Read from time to time.
CHELSEA: Don't fantasize, just think.
JOSHUA: Go write your little tale.
CHELSEA: I've got a glimmer, just a hint.
JOSHUA: But let me out of jail.
CHELSEA: I can only see it if I squint.

CHELSEA AND JOSHUA:
Never light a fire
that will send up smoke.
Hang up the things you need
with wire on an oak.
and know that...

JOSHUA: We are not friends.
CHELSEA: We are not friends.
JOSHUA: I never called you friend.
CHELSEA: You are not my friend.
JOSHUA: Nothing here to mend.
CHELSEA: You are just a man, you are not a book.
JOSHUA: I will not pretend.
CHELSEA: ...not a tree, not a bush.
JOSHUA AND CHELSEA:
I (you) am (are) not a canvas.
Not an empty slide.
I (you) won't help you (me) understand this.
I (you) won't show you what's inside.

JOSHUA:
You can tell my story.
It's all I have to give.
My single oratory
is simply how I live.

JOSHUA AND CHELSEA:
And all I (you) ever wanted was silence.
Silence.
Silence.
Silence.
...Silence.

credits

from North Pond, released March 1, 2017
Chelsea Helm - Chelsea Marlowe
Michael Hewitt - Joshua Knight

Likai He - Violin
Fanny Spangaro - Cello
Thomas Frey - Clarinet
Sohee Kwon - Piano
Nils Aardahl - Bass
Brady Spitz - Drums
Shun Yao - Conductor

Ben Morris - Composer, lyrics, engineer
Will Inman - Lyrics
Julianne McAdams, Nevada Lozano, John Albert Harris - Additional lyrics