The Photographer's Daughter

Sparing her teeth
the curve of her smile
is sharing the blame

And what a relief
it is to sign treaties
over dinner at 8:15

And he asked for the end of the world
cracking open the hearts of his girls
And he asked for the end of her life
when he battered the contracts his wife

had adhered to
for so many years
and agreed to play prisoner
for so many fears
for herself and her children
were swelling up inside

The armaments fall
he is breaching defenses
with his stories of better times

She'll try to recall
tears that had salted the wounds
that he left inside her mind

And he asked for the end of the world
cracking open the hearts of his girls
And he asked for the end of her life
when he begged for forgiveness despite

all the reasons
she could have denied
his requests for a daughter
and god knows she tried
but he broke down inside her
and settled his lies
while she fervently listened
she knew she wasn't right

When all your photographs fade out
I'll be the one who takes them down
and the apologies you choose
the only memories of you

And he asked for the end of the world
cracking open the hearts of his girls
And he asked for the end of her life
when he swept all the sorrow inside