The Paper Saint

[Verse 1]
The floorboard's loose beneath his empty chair,
Been that way since the second week of June.
I pried it up to fix the squeak in there,
Found his last letter by the light of the moon.
It's folded thrice, a fragile, yellowed seam.

[Chorus]
And this lie is a hymn I'm learning how to sing,
A quiet prayer to keep the silence whole.
Sometimes devotion is a terrible thing,
A fire you start to sanctify a soul.

[Verse 2]
The paper smells of cedar, smoke, and dread,
His handwriting a slant I know so well.
"If you find this, I'll already be dead.
And Mama doesn't need another hell."
The kitchen matchbox feels heavy in my palm.

[Chorus]
And this lie is a gospel I'm learning how to sing,
A minor key to keep the silence whole.
Sometimes devotion is a shattering thing,
A fire you start to sanctify a soul.

[Bridge]
From here I see the Blue Ridge turning grey,
The same bruised purple as my mother's eyes.
I could un-sew the story of that day,
Or mend this peace with one more perfect lie.

[Chorus]
'Cause this lie is the only song I have to sing,
An amen whispered to keep our quiet whole.
My love, my devotion, is this offering:
A paper saint to sanctify a soul.

[Outro]
A paper saint, ash-white and turning gold.
The story that will never be told.