Behind the Waterfalls (Madeline and Theo" from "Celeste")

Met you at a VGM show

Back in the days before the scooters took over

We were both reaching for a hand to hold

Hadn’t been long since you never left home, and

I was still low from a host of old woes,

Just copin'. "So so" was the best I could hope for

Slow to show my whole range of emotion,

Coastin', just floatin’ in a Sea of merlot, and

You were so cool but you were too demure

On account of all the injuries that you'd endured

In some ways you knew exactly who you were

It was who you were to others that was still unsure

Comparin’ notes, Star Trek, Ghost in the Shell and stuff

Baring hearts, never felt like a trauma dump

I think I helped you realize that you're allowed to trust

And take stock of your friends, see there's a lot of us

And you helped me forgive and move past

A me that I had try to bury ten years back

And you were there for more than one panic attack

Help me catch my breath whenever I saw restraint straps

Breathe in, breath out

And find yourself

Inside your skin

Breathe out, breathe in

Those were the days that I wished were endless

Still felt numb but I never felt friendless

Taught me bag work so I’m less defenseless,

And you grew in several directions, you’re relentless

Brought fresh finesse to your photography practice,

Friday movie nights with the tight knit guest list

The state got hostile and you started to sweat it,

They turned up the pressure, you planned out your exit, you said

Is this exodus reckless, and I

Felt so depressed, wished I could say yes but

These feckless electeds, dead set to wreck us

Won’t quit passing stuff that affects us, so we

Helped you FedEx all of your effects to the

Next address on your checklist

Stayed up late and shared breakfast on the

Day you fled Texas, headed Northwest, I

Drove home music blasting, more sound,

Tried to drown out the pain, got more down

Heart went floor bound every time I drove toward

Georgetown, for sure, still feels sore now

 

Breathe in, breath out

And find yourself

Inside your skin

Breathe out, breathe in

You ghosted the city like a damn trans phantom,

Granted, we'd still hang out to scope your work on Anthem

You'd chat about Canada, flying round the Bastion

Banterin, hunting for the Last Stand Cannon and

Later that year some pals played for the soundtrack

So I finally got around to climbing Celeste Mountain

And it almost made me face why I made my last album

Instead I pounded rock bottom and kept falling through the ground, drowning

In retrospect I guess that it happens to a lotta dolls

They see what's coming next and they start pounding down the alcohols

I'd walk for five miles or so every day to hold it off

But then it'd get dark again and pretty soon I'm awful sauced

After a year it all felt empty like a shopping mall

I knew I'd have to quit, I couldn't answer when the bottle calls

Somewhere underneath I started healing through the longer pause

Like wait for three minutes there's a life behind the waterfalls

Breathe in, breath out

And find yourself

Inside your skin

Breathe out, breathe in

Been about a year and now I can stand my mirror, you’re

My beloved friend and you helped me find a clearer view

S-tier queer with a sincere cheer plentiful

I wake up glad I’m here and I’m grateful I’m endeared to you,-

I’m sad it took this long, but I’m grateful that I’m home

In my body, my relationships and all the ways I’ve grown

And I still need love from friends but I can finally make my own, the truth is

None of us can make it to the summit all alone