Cholla in the Morning Light
About the time I’ve spent with the beautiful and dangerous Cholla cactus…
I used to leave the city sleeping
Friday's suitcase by the door
Chasing dawn across the desert
Like I'd done a hundred times before
Out where the morning finds the silence
And the shadows lose their hold
Every spine would catch the sunlight
Turning thorns to threads of gold
Oh, Cholla in the morning light
Burning without a flame
Holding onto every single drop
There is lifeblood in the rain
You taught me beauty has its boundaries
And love can leave a scar
Some things shine because they're fragile
Some survive because they are
Lover planted two beside us
Said, "Now you don't have to run”
But you can't bring home the desert
You can only borrow some
Years went by and one forgotten
Broken piece lay in the sand
When I stumbled reaching backwards
It found the center of my hand
Oh, Cholla in the morning light
Burning without a flame
Holding onto every single drop
There is lifeblood in the rain
You taught me beauty has its boundaries
And love can leave a scar
Some things shine because they're fragile
Some survive because they are
And the pieces that break from you
Are the pieces that remain
Carried on the wind and footsteps
Waiting for another rain
Maybe every loss is like that
Never gone, just traveling on
Scattered in the dust and sunlight
Finding places to belong
Oh, Cholla in the morning light
Burning without a flame
Holding onto every single drop
There is lifeblood in the rain
You taught me beauty has its boundaries
And love can leave a scar
Some things shine because they're fragile
Some survive because they are
Some things shine because they're fragile
Some survive because they are