The Gaze That Stays

Verse 1

I was the woman in the automat The coffee going cold beside my hand The window doubled every light I had Into a row of copies I could stand

Verse 2

I was the reader reading from the street Your coat your walk the way you held the cup The surfaces were loud enough to read I didn't need to ask I looked you up

Chorus

The gaze that stays is not the passing glance The glance forgives and lets you walk away The gaze remains the way a stain remains On plaster after rain - not damage, just Evidence

Verse 3

I was the statue with no head to hide Behind - and every surface was an eye The brilliance didn't need a face to see The fragment saw you and it didn't lie

Bridge

The window held me and I held the street The lamplight was the looking and the look The mirror showed me what the others saw Until I turned away and chose to see Instead

Chorus

The gaze that stays is not the passing glance The glance forgives and lets you walk away The gaze remains the way a stain remains On plaster after rain - not damage, just Evidence

Outro

You must change your life Not because the statue asked Because the window held And held And you were on the other side And you were The one who sees