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I Read Between Your Lines
lyrics by Sharmagne Leland-St. John
music by Peter Yarrow


I read between your lines
I looked behind your door
and saw the hearts of all the girls
who'd lived with you before

          bamboo rooms like palaces
          exotic wines in silver chalices
          all these things are really nice    
          but I could not pay the price

I read between your lines
I looked behind your door
and saw the hearts of all the girls
who'd loved you once before
         
          all the tears I've saved
          and all the tears I've wept
          add up to all the promises
          you've broken and you've kept

          everything is equal
          everything's the same
          what started out to be so real
          is ending in a game

I read between your lines
I looked behind your door
and saw the hearts of all the girls
who'd left you once before

          the days I spent alone were sad
          the ones we had were sweet
          I wave good-bye too often now
          we never seem to meet

I read between your lines
I looked behind your door
and saw my heart was hanging there
there'll be a dozen more    

for Michael Butler
New York ~ 1973

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