Quietly, We Begin

I tripped on your name in the hallway light

Held my breath like I might say it right

You smiled like you knew I was out of tune

Still I kept that little spark in view

And I don't know how to be smooth

When every small word leads me to you

Or maybe that's the way it should be

A little unsure, a little maybe

So let the quiet bloom between us

Let the crooked hearts find trust

We don't have to shove to be enough

Just a soft little proof of us

And if the road feels strange tonight

We can burn it in the dim porch light

You held it good with both your hands

Like you were trying to understand

The shape of hope in a paper sky

That kinda trembles but doesn't die

I could tell by the look you wore

You've been knocked down maybe once or more

But for way laps that stay a while

Like a shy sunrise and a crooked smile

So let the quiet bloom between us

Let the crooked hearts find trust

We don't have to shine to be loved

Just a soft field proof of us

And if the road feels strange tonight

We can learn it in a dim-cold light

Maybe love begins with a polished chance

And the awkward pauses between friends

And the small relief of being seen as you are

And as you've been

So I'll meet you there on a guarded truth

With a heart that's learning how to choose

So I'll throw a quiet bloom, it's one of

Let the crooked hearts find trust

We don't have to shine to be enough

Just a soft little proof of us

And if the road feels straight tonight

We can learn it in the dim porch light

Yeah, we can learn it slow

In the places that we don't quite know