Now That I Know

Now that I know the way it goes
You gotta pay back every penny that you owe
Twelve years old, in your mama's clothes
Shut the blinds and lock up every door
And if you hear, someone's comin' near
Just close your eyes and make them disappear now

Years away, finds me here today
On my own, always on my way now
So I send my friends, gifts from where I've been
Something for the hand, they're never there to lend
Better keep those eyes, climbing paradise
And don't pretend, you won't reach it in the end now

Dearest dear, I know you been here
Why'd you run, tell me, why'd you disappear now?
That you're not here with me
Seems to be the only time that I can see you clearly
I may not know, how to treat or give you what you need
But I am a gentleman who says what he means now

And now I sing upon my knees
And praise the kindness of a gentle breeze
I see it swell like a story in me to tell
Told years away and past my baby dying
So you raise them up, to Heaven always hell
They're unaware, share, give a hand to help son

Oh, you give them away but they'll come back to you someday
Wanna know why nobody was ever there to help them
And no it ain't fair and if God forbid you care
It's enough to get you in a whole lotta trouble
Oh, realize, it ain't wise to idealize
Or put your life in the hands of any struggle

Never renounce or ever claim to be
And never buy that freedom just ain't free now
Ella sang, siftin' in the sand
Like a hymn within to help us understand
Heaven awaits, we're making our last stand
Glory bound and sparrow in our hand