INCONCEIVABLE JOY (2005)
Three hour drive
From Dallas down to Austin
To see a friend
In a moment of change
Too much horizon
And thoughts to get lost in
Swimming in silence
Not a word is exchanged
What was promised
Feels far in the distance
We’re empty-handed
Moving while stranded
Making our peace
With uneasy coexistence
What we want is irretrievable
Remote and inconceivable
Inconceivable joy
I don’t hear the vows
They echo and are drowned out
In the shimmer of bells,
The lost language of cranes
An oath in the sunlight
May never be found out
Too soon swept away
By the coming of rains
What we expected
Gets hung up like artwork
We glorify it
And then just walk by it
So much in its place
It can’t make your heart work
What we need is unbelievable
Far-fetched and inconceivable
Inconceivable joy
By a tree
By a fountain
By your side
Something snaps
Something speaks
In the silence
Something glimmers
In the gaps
I feel a floodgate collapse
By a tree
In your eyes
Something without a name
Begins to rise
The love that was tender
Is masked by a callus
The rapture of youth
Is hidden away
Three hours drive
From Austin back to Dallas
So much horizon
And so much to say
What we hope for
Is there for the taking
Alive behind shrouds
Hidden by clouds
The snares that we fight
Are of our own making
What we crave must be achievable
Even though it’s inconceivable
Life itself would be inconceivable
Without
Inconceivable joy
*********************************
(edited version)
Three hour drive
From Dallas down to Austin
To see a friend
In a moment of change
Too much horizon
And thoughts to get lost in
Swimming in silence
Not a word is exchanged
What we expected feels far in the distance
Moving while stranded with uneasy coexistence
What we want is irretrievable
Remote and inconceivable
Inconceivable joy
I don’t hear the vows
They echo and are drowned out
In the shimmer of bells,
The lost language of cranes
An oath in the sunlight
May never be found out
Too soon swept away
By the coming of rains
What was promised gets hung in the hallways
We glance and ignore it in dozens of small ways
What we need is unbelievable
Far-fetched and inconceivable
Inconceivable joy
By a fountain
Something snaps
Something glimmers
In the gaps
I feel a floodgate collapse
In your eyes
Something without a name
Begins to rise
The love that was tender
Is masked by a callus
The rapture of youth
Is hidden away
Three hours drive
From Austin back to Dallas
So much horizon
And so much to say
What we hope for is there for the taking
The snares that we fight are of our own making
What we crave must be achievable
Even though it’s inconceivable
Life itself would be inconceivable
Without
Inconceivable joy
©2005 Z. Mulls
This lyric is registered with the U.S. Copyright Office as part of the collection THE COLLECTED LYRICS OF Z. MULLS Volume One 1995-2006
There’s a lot going on in this song, and there are a lot of personal moments, but they’re cut and spliced enough that you wouldn’t know where they are. I’m very happy with this one.
When posting it on the Muse, there was concern about the length (at least if anyone were to consider composing and performing it), so I edited it down a bit. For posterity, I’m posting both versions.
