Busy Work

He worked all night

And didn't notice that the light had changed

Looked up

And the sun just jumped all suddenly around

If all those hours feel like busy work

Can you still maintain

Can you still hang on

But out on the porch

It's nothing but sun

Nothing is over until you say it's done

Half drunk and frayed

The marsh all agleam

And I know exactly

What that busy work means

A little coffee

And I'm ready now to call you up

I see the shower slowly opening your eyes

I see the mornings I was half asleep

And you were there

Even when you weren't

And out in the yard

There's nothing but sun

A bright English garden, wet webs newly spun

The salt in my hair

I'm free and I'm clean

And as your phone rings

I know what busy work means

You know it's me

And for a second we just sit and wait

Like when you brace yourself

And jump into the sea

All the colors of the sky

And now the sun's come up

The sun, it snuck right up

And out on the sea

It's nothing but sun

And all of those storms we built converge into one

We'll weather the tides

We'll build and be strong

Children and work and picket fences and songs

And out in the world

There's nothing but sun

I know it'll change, but when it's all said and done

I'll still be here

There's no in between

And that's what the pain of all that busy work means