Lyric

I kept my voice

Low at the table

Gave you the soft part

While I stayed able

You missed the empty

Under my laugh

I passed you the mercy

And swallowed the half

I could have blamed you

For leaving me thin

But I saw your face

And let kindness win

I made the moment

Gentle to hold

Kept my own hunger

Quiet and old

You were not cruel

Enough to hate

I was not full

Enough to stay

So I stood there

Measured and mild

With something unfed

Behind the smile

I went without

And still stayed gentle

Kept my voice soft

Kept my hands clean

Made room for you

With less of me

Held back the hunger

No one could see

I went without

And still stayed tender

Let you leave light

Let myself bend

If kindness was grace

I wore it well

But something in me

Stayed hard to tell

I learned to speak

Around the need

To pour out patience

And call it peace

You gave me almost

I called it enough

Made every shortage

Sound like love

I did not want

To make you small

For giving me less

Than I carried at all

So I made my ache

Civil and neat

Served you the calm

And kept the heat

I went without

And still stayed gentle

Kept my voice soft

Kept my hands clean

Made room for you

With less of me

Held back the hunger

No one could see

I was hungry, yet kind

And called it control

Kept giving you shelter

Out of my own cold

I was hungry, yet kind

And called it mature

Let every closed door

Look easy and sure

But kindness can turn

Against the chest

When it keeps the mouth

From saying what’s left

I was not above

The need to be fed

I only kept quiet

And gave you grace instead

I went without

And still stayed gentle

Kept my voice soft

Kept my hands clean

Made room for you

With less of me

Held back the hunger

No one could see

I went without

And still stayed tender

Let you leave light

Let myself bend

If kindness was grace

I wore it well

But something in me

Stayed hard to tell

No anger rose

No door was slammed

Just an empty place

Inside my open hand