Volcano, My Volcano

*co-written with Veronica May (music)
​
i ran my sweaty palms through messy tangled hair
i was a nervous schoolgirl at the science fair
i smiled hard with extra teeth so i could hide the way
the lump in my throat despised this pile of paper mache
 
the project baffled me, worked hard as i projected
tinkered with chemistry, results were unexpected
i felt fear in safety goggles, couldn’t calculate the quote
maybe too much vinegar, maybe too much baking soda
 
my volcano
now she's holding her breath, she's swallowing her pride
my volcano
is a mountain of words that just got tongue-tied
my volcano
she's glorious, she's dangerous, she's dormant and she's still
my volcano
if you wait ten thousand years, she might just tell you how she feels
 
i press my legs to chest, my knees cradle my ear
i'm an anxious woman, stretching my neck toward mt. ranier
i whisper soft with extra air so she can hear me say
i feel you bubbling underneath, i feel it every day
 
i am no longer shocked by the lack of an eruption
one day i will know, but for now there's no relief in self-destruction
for birds are nesting in her nooks, and humans hike her trails i feel kinship with a mountain that chooses not to melt

DRUM VERSION HERE