The Tension in the Wire

[Intro]
[Verse]
Sun is sinking low
Shadows start to grow
Cedar’s rotted through
Nothing left to do
But pull the rusted nail
And tell a different tale
My pliers bite the steel
Learning how to feel
[Verse]
Found a crumpled note
In his old canvas coat
Scrawled in heavy lead
Words he never said
“Fix the creek gap first”
“Before the clouds burst”
Just a simple plan
From a hard-handed man
[Chorus]
I’m pulling back the slack
Taking all the anger back
Stretching out the line
Making sure it’s fine
Forgiveness in the grain
Washing out the stain
In this golden hour glow
I’m letting all it go
[Post-Chorus]
Letting it go
Soft and slow
Letting it go
Now I know
[Verse]
Heifers start to low
Moving soft and slow
They know the rhythm well
More than I could tell
He walked this very ridge
Building every bridge
Between the pride and shame
Of a family name
[Chorus]
I’m pulling back the slack
Taking all the anger back
Stretching out the line
Making sure it’s fine
Forgiveness in the grain
Washing out the stain
In this golden hour glow
I’m letting all it go
[Bridge]
His hammer fits my palm
The evening’s feeling calm
My knuckles bleed a bit
I’m finally over it
The silence isn’t cold
Now that I am old
I see the man he was
Just because he does
[Verse]
The staple bites the wood
Like I knew it should
The tension holds the weight
By the heavy gate
I leave the tools behind
With a quiet mind
The pasture’s safe tonight
Underneath the light
[Chorus]
I’m pulling back the slack
Taking all the anger back
Stretching out the line
Making sure it’s fine
Forgiveness in the grain
Washing out the stain
In this golden hour glow
I’m letting all it go
[Post-Chorus]
Letting it go
Soft and slow
Letting it go
Now I know
[Outro]