The Divers Wife

E - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - . . . - - - - | B - - - 1 - 0 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1 - 0 - - - - - . . . - - - - | G - 2 - - - - - 0 - - - 2 - 0 - - - - - - - - - 0 - - - 2 - - - 2 - - - - 0 - - - . . . - - - - | D - - - - - - - - - 2 - - - - - 2 - - - 2 - 0 - - - 2 - - - - - - - - - - - - 2 - . . . - - - - | A - 0 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 3 - - - - - - - - - 3 - - - - - - - - - - - - . . . - - - - | E - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1 - - - - - - - - - . . . - - - - | Am the diver is my love G Am G and i Am his , if i to be deceived Fmaj7 who takes one breath above for eve - ry Am hour below the sea Am who gave to me a jewel G Am G worth twice this woman’s life , though it cost her less Fmaj7 than laying at low tide to see Am her true love phosphoresce . C and in an infinite regress , Gm Dm tell me why is the pain of birth F C lighter borne than the pain of death? G F i ain’t saying i loved you first , C A# but i loved you best . Am i know we must abide G Am G each by the rules that bind us here : Fmaj7 the divers and the sailors and Am the women on the pier . Am how do you choose your voice? G Am G how do you choose your name? how do you choose your life? Fmaj7 how do you choose the time you must Am exhale and kick and rise? C and in an infinite capsize , Gm Dm like a boat tearing down the coast , F C double hulls bearing double masts . G F i don’t know if you loved me most , C A# but you loved me last . recall the word you gave to count your way across the depths of this arid world , where you will yoke the waves that lay a bed of shining pearls . i dream it every night : the ringing of the pail , the motes of sand dislodged , the shucking , quick and bright the twinned and cast off shells reveal a single heart of white . and in an infinite backslide , ancient boulders sink past the west , like a sword at the bearer’s fall . i don’t say that i knew you best , but did you know me at all? a woman is alive , a woman is alive . you do not take her from your side an anchor on a stone , alone , unfaceted and fine . and never will i wed . i’ll hunt the pearl of death to the bottom of my life , and ever hold my breath ’til i may be the diver’s wife . see how the infinite divides , and the divers are not to blame for the rift spanning distant shores . you don’t know my name , but i know yours .