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Manolo Espaliú
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lyrics

And if you made me wonder—
though frankly I hadn’t till now—
what spell you laid me under:
well, you must have learned it somehow.
And if I had to guess
what line of work you were trained in
where you picked up this skill set;
I would not call it discipline.

Dear, you were a doctor:
splicing your photographs,
stitching your monster.
Well, I just had to laugh.
Your blueprint was laudable,
your theory, all well and smart.
But two souls—impossible! —
conjoined at the very heart?

“Well, it’s just a hunch of mine,
merely hypothesis;
a joke with no punchline;
no progress and no promises.
And that is all that science is."

Dear, you were an artist,
sketching your love for me.
God, it was flawless;
it was your masterpiece.
Your focus so dutiful,
your stroke so deliberate,
and like you, more beautiful
than ever was its subject.

But it’s just a portrait,
smudges and shavings.
You don’t have to restore it
if you don’t think it’s worth saving.
But if it’s meant for the fire, then don’t keep the fire waiting.

And if you made me suffer,
well, it isn’t all that odd.
Some things one expects from a lover,
a criminal, or god.
But there’s some advantage,
harsh as the judgment is,
to that knave who can manage
to finish his sentences

and speak in a tongue I can hear
and brandish for whetting my knife.
You don’t bring your face so near
unless it’s to threaten my life.
And that is my professional advice.

credits

from The Once & Future Boyfriend, released September 1, 2010

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Amina Shareef Ali Oakland, California

Based in Oakland, California, Amina Shareef Ali performs songs of love and struggle, of pain and wonder, of loss and redemption. Lyrics by turns poignant and sardonic are set against a backdrop of American music both traditional and modern, from folk to punk to country to jazz to rock and roll. ... more

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