Songs for Maria

Verse 1

Steam climbs up against the grey wall Kettle sings while the rain comes down You hum along without even trying You turn the coldest room around

Pre-chorus

I keep waiting for that whistle Something in me leans toward the sound Like I'm always turning to find you

Chorus

Maria, you're the warmth in this house Every damp wall learns your name Steady as that kettle's whistle Maria, you make the grey feel tame

Verse 2

Pantry shelves are stacked with nothing much Just tea tins and a chipped old cup But you make the smallest kitchen holy You make the quietest evening add up

Bridge

No need for gold or grand rooms Just copper light and your two hands This is the whole of what I wanted

Chorus

Maria, you're the warmth in this house Every damp wall learns your name Steady as that kettle's whistle Maria, you make the grey feel tame

Outro

The kettle's quiet now, the steam has cleared Still, I'm warm just knowing you're here

Verse 1

Grease coming through the bag Newspaper gone soft and sad You laugh and pass it over Best seat I've had all year

Pre-chorus

No candles and no wine Just chips and you and streetlight And somehow it's enough to

Chorus

Maria, you make plain things shine Salt on my fingers, you're still mine Maria, hold the bag, hold my hand This little feast is all I planned

Verse 2

Cod wrapped up so warm You tear it half for me Nothing about tonight is fancy But it's the one I want to keep

Pre-chorus

No candles and no wine Just chips and you and streetlight And somehow it's enough to

Chorus

Maria, you make plain things shine Salt on my fingers, you're still mine Maria, hold the bag, hold my hand This little feast is all I planned

Bridge

Some folks need the fancy kind I just need you close, unhurried Whatever's wrapped up, whatever's found You make it taste like more than food

Chorus

Maria, you make plain things shine Salt on my fingers, you're still mine Maria, hold the bag, hold my hand This little feast is all I planned

Outro

Bag's near empty, hands still greasy You're the part that never leaves me

Verse 1

You turn the lock without a sound I watch your hands and I am found The iron stand has seen it all But nothing holds me like you now

Pre-chorus

Some things you say out loud Some things you close up tight I keep the second kind

Chorus

Maria, you're the door I choose Nothing about you I could lose Steady as a hand on iron You're the one I won't confuse

Verse 2

I used to leave things hanging loose Half open, easy to walk through Then you came, quiet as a key And I stopped needing an excuse

Bridge

Small click, and the whole hall settles No noise, but I feel it move through me This is what I trust the most

Chorus

Maria, you're the door I choose Nothing about you I could lose Steady as a hand on iron You're the one I won't confuse

Outro

The lock still holds against the frame And I still say your name

Verse 1

Lace is drifting soft against the cold and quiet glass watching over where you sleep as gentle minutes pass wrapped inside your basket, warm beneath the fading light you are held so closely through the turning of the night

Chorus

Maria, Maria, hush now, close your eyes rest inside the calm where every worry quietly dies you are loved beyond the reach of any counted star sleep, Maria, sleep, you're safer than you know you are

Verse 2

Wind is barely moving, just enough to stir the thread softly it goes dancing just above your sleepy head nothing in this room will ever come to pull you far you are wrapped in something gentler than the coldest star

Pre-chorus

Breathe now, let the evening settle slow around your chest feel how every shadow only wants to see you rest close your eyes a little more and drift where dreams are best

Chorus

Maria, Maria, hush now, close your eyes rest inside the calm where every worry quietly dies you are loved beyond the reach of any counted star sleep, Maria, sleep, you're safer than you know you are

Bridge

Nothing here will ever come to take this moment away you were made to feel this warm at the ending of the day hold on to the quiet, let it carry you along

Chorus

Maria, Maria, hush now, close your eyes rest inside the calm where every worry quietly dies you are loved beyond the reach of any counted star sleep, Maria, sleep, you're safer than you know you are

Outro

Lace will keep on drifting soft against the quiet pane long after you have fallen deep and safe again

Verse 1

A small pebble rolls back down the grey and quiet gravel and the foam lies down soft where the water used to be so let all of your worry roll away like the same pebble and rest here beside me, safe as anyone could be

Pre-chorus

The tide has stopped pulling, it only wants to stay now the night has grown gentle and it's leaning in to hold you so close your eyes slowly, let the dark come in easy

Chorus

Maria, the water has settled and so can you hush now, my dear one, there's nothing left to chase every wave that goes out comes home again to you Maria, you're held here, you're safe in this place

Verse 2

The moon leans its light on the edge of the shore tonight and nothing out there is asking anything of you sleep is a shoreline where every small stone lies quiet and I will stay near you the whole night through

Pre-chorus

The tide has stopped pulling, it only wants to stay now the night has grown gentle and it's leaning in to hold you so close your eyes slowly, let the dark come in easy

Chorus

Maria, the water has settled and so can you hush now, my dear one, there's nothing left to chase every wave that goes out comes home again to you Maria, you're held here, you're safe in this place

Bridge

Whatever the day carried, let it slip beneath the foam you are so loved, and love does not have to hurry rest now, the whole dark room is only breathing round you

Chorus

Maria, the water has settled and so can you hush now, my dear one, there's nothing left to chase every wave that goes out comes home again to you Maria, you're held here, you're safe in this place

Outro

The pebble lies still now where the grey gravel meets the water sleep, my Maria, sleep, the night is holding you

Verse 1

Somewhere a lamp is turning slow behind old railings circling gently over water calm and deep and the salt has dried soft upon the iron waiting there while you drift into sleep

Pre-chorus

The light comes round so quietly, so easy brushing past the window where you lie and it asks for nothing, only that you close your eyes

Chorus

Maria, the night is holding you so gently nothing here will hurry, nothing here will pull you far you are steadier than any tide, Maria safer than the turning of a distant star

Verse 2

The railings hum a little with the evening the salt sits quiet, settled where it lies and nothing out there needs you to be waking only needs you resting with your eyes

Bridge

Rest now, let the slow light carry what it's holding let the turning be the only thing that moves everything is folded warm and near you nothing in the dark has come to prove

Chorus

Maria, the night is holding you so gently nothing here will hurry, nothing here will pull you far you are steadier than any tide, Maria safer than the turning of a distant star

Outro

Somewhere still that lamp turns soft behind the railings and here you rest, so easy, so unhurried, so entwined