Kerosene Heart

[Intro — single guitar, clean, lonely] [Let each note ring, 8 bars, no rush] [Verse 1 — whispered, barely there] You left the back door open Left the matches on the counter Said you'd be back by morning That was three winters ago [Verse 2 — same hush, building] I kept the house exactly How you hated it The curtains you called prison bars The paint you said was bleeding I kept it all I kept it all [Pre-Chorus — first lift, still quiet] They say a watched pot never boils But I wasn't watching I was waiting [Chorus — open up, but controlled] I've got a kerosene heart Slow burn, slow burn You lit it once, you walked away Slow burn, slow burn I don't explode like others do I just burn longer I just burn truer Kerosene heart Waiting for you [Verse 3 — back to whisper, darker] The neighbors think I'm crazy Talking to empty rooms But you left your ghost here And ghosts get hungry too [Verse 4 — cracking, showing heat] I found your sweater yesterday Smelled like smoke and leaving I wore it to the grocery store They stared like I was burning I didn't feel a thing [Pre-Chorus — second lift, trembling] They say time heals all wounds But time just gives me kindling [Chorus — fuller, drums enter] I've got a kerosene heart Slow burn, slow burn You lit it once, you walked away Slow burn, slow burn I don't explode like others do I just burn longer I just burn truer Kerosene heart Waiting for you [Bridge — stripped to voice and one string, 16 bars] I could've burned out quick Like a matchbook romance Like a summer spark But you chose kerosene And kerosene Doesn't forget... [Final Chorus — everything, finally, the fire] I'VE GOT A KEROSENE HEART SLOW BURN, SLOW BURN YOU LIT IT ONCE, YOU WALKED AWAY SLOW BURN, SLOW BURN I DON'T EXPLODE LIKE OTHERS DO I JUST BURN LONGER I JUST BURN TRUER KEROSENE HEART STILL BURNING FOR YOU [Outro — guitar alone, embers] [Single notes, fading, one every 4 seconds] [Final note, let it decay] [Silence, 5 seconds] [Click — match strike, no flame] [Silence]