As Kind as You Can

They got married on a Tuesday night in April
Her sister as a witness and her sister's man
The dog lying on the kitchen tile as usual
The words written on the back of the commissioner's hand
The words written on the back of the commissioner's hand
They always said a big wedding wasn't needed
They always said they'd probably always be in love
All they really needed to hear
Dressed in their everyday clothes
The words written on the back of the commissioner's hand

Be as kind as you can
If I ever become
What you can't understand

The children were keeping their vigil over the spring
The water was weeping with rhythm and tone and shade
They decided, together, the finest color of all was green
Everyone else was away somewhere at war
They wrote a letter
It said that "we hope you come home winners"
They wrote another that said, "we hope the others do the same"
Remember, everyone is dying of thirst
By the time they make it back to the spring
Everyone is reading the words off the back of their hand

Be as kind as you can
If I ever become
What you can't understand

Teddy never made it home
Said he saw a UFO
Woke up in the rapeseed field
Behind the old department store in the mall
And as the sun was coming up
All he knew was that he'd been somewhere
And the sound of the words going round in his head
So weirdly familiar, like the back of his hand

Be as kind as you can
If I ever become
What you can't understand