Promises Beneath Porches

I walked up the creaking steps of twenty-seven Where the paint was

peeling gray

Found the loose floorboard beneath the porch swing And wiped the garden

dirt away A small tin box with rusted hinges Holding scraps of

faded ink

Promises we signed in crayon Standing on the quiet brink

(ahhhh) The first scrap said we'd conquer cities But college pulled us

miles apart The second said we'd share a kitchen Before the separate

lives would start Each paper traced a different highway Years of silence

built a wall But under twenty-seven's shadow I can still hear your

laughter fall

(ohhh) And we promised to keep living

No matter where the road would wind

Yeah, we promised to keep living And leave the heavy grief behind

But the very last note was written in your hand Unfolding like

a quiet grace 'If one of us leaves first,

the other must go on'

I look up at this empty space I'm standing here,

but I can breathe now The heavy shadow starts to fade I'm

gonna honor every vow we made (ooh-ooh)

Yes, we promised to keep living No matter where the road would

wind

Yeah, we promised to keep living And leave the heavy grief behind

I pack the box and step into the sun My future's finally

begun

(we keep living)