The Black Dog

I am someone who
Until recent events
You shared your secrets with
And your location
You forgot to turn it off

And so I watch as you walk
Into some bar called the Black Dog
It pierces new holes in my heart
You forgot to turn it off
And it hits me
I just don’t understand

How you don’t miss me in The Black Dog
When someone plays “The Starting Line”
And you jump up
But she’s too young to know this song
That was intertwined
In the magic fabric of our dreaming
Old habits die screaming

I move through the world with a heart broken
My longings stay unspoken
And I may never open up
The way I did for you
And all of those best laid plans
You said I needed a brave man
Then proceeded to play him
Until I believed it too
And it kills me
I just don’t understand

How you don’t miss me in the shower
And remember how
My rain-soaked body was shakin’
Do you hate me?
Was it hazing for a cruel fraternity?
I pledged and I still mean it
Old habits die screaming

Six weeks of breathing clean air
I still miss the smoke
Were you making fun of me
With some esoteric joke?

Now I wanna sell my house
And set fire to all my clothes
And hire a priest to come
And exorcise my demons
Even if I die screaming
And I hope you hear it

And I hope it’s shitty in The Black Dog
When someone plays “The Starting Line”
And you jump up
But she’s too young to know this song
That was intertwined
In the tragic fabric of our dreaming
‘Cause tail between your legs you’re leaving

I still can’t believe it
‘Cause old habits die screaming