Nashville

There’s a history beneath the skyline

Of downtown city lights

It’s like I’m walking in her footsteps 

And I’ve traveled back in time

I could hear her laugh a mile away

And see her eyes light up the sky

She was happy and carefree

And didn’t know love was so close by

Flash forward I’m standing where she stood

As her voice echoes in the streets

A new place I’ve never been before

But there’s a sense of familiarity 

Walk past my reflection in a window

And I see her standing in my place

I put my hand up to the glass

And I’m looking at her face

We follow music notes down Broadway

Drinking whiskey and moonshine

Talking and laughing with everyone

Like somehow frozen in time

The night was clear the stars were out

We brought the California weather

Caught up in the moment and then I blinked

And found a single white feather

One place connecting two worlds

The city of music speaks in many ways

There’s such a strong connection here

Like we’re on the same page 

Like mother like daughter time is infinite

There’s no distance in time and space 

Following a trail of feathers

Of her footsteps in this place 

Mesmerized by the city’s vibes

Though the bright lights and busy streets

In the midst of the competing bands 

I know she’s right here with me 

Love always, 

Lainey



Copyright © 2019. All Rights Reserved



Home in the Shadow

for a second

I studied your eyes

that's how you got me

we were exposed

truth lies behind your skies

you taught me how to see

 

walk past the signs

that hit us in the face

this world is way too small

taste the oceans

left without a trace

 why can't we have it all?

 

we don't need their eyes

 undressing our flaws

we're running out of time

as they conceal their claws

pretend to believe their lies

with our smiles and nods

 

it'll buy us time

they can't afford to keep

truth is coming

 

moonbeams find us

in the middle of the road

there's comfort in the night

don't be afraid

find a home in the shadow

where they can't take our light

…they can't take our light

 

 

 

Love Always,

Lainey



 

 

 

 

Copyright © 2019. All Rights Reserved

Phoenix

There used to be a story

that brought you to life

and through all the complications

the stars perfectly aligned
 

then the sky would get dark again

there'd be another storm to pass

and all the times you felt like giving up

you still see the beauty life has
 

then grief forced you strong

you're given credit like it's a choice

and all the times you want to scream out loud

you suddenly lose your voice
 

time now makes no sense

is it a circle or straight line?

or does it go up and down

like the heartbeats left behind?
 

but dreams exist to give us hope

and remind us of lessons learned

and through all the ash and soot from this

we still rise up from these burns
 

exhale and let the story shift

there's no limit to change

let the phoenix rise above these flames

let the stars rearrange
 

there's one thing that doesn't fail

and it grows stronger each year

the love we share is infinite

the fire singed away the fear
 

and this story that brought you back to life

will be sung in songs and written down

and told by all who know it too

 of how to earn a crooked crown
 

there will always be beauty

there will always be you

rise through love and flames, my love

and life begins to feel brand new


 

Love Always,

Lainey

Copyright © 2019. All Rights Reserved

Modern Holiday

There's always been a little hope

that there'll be a reason to believe

when traditions become unwrapped

as we sit around the tree

there's a little light that shows us more

than what we were ready to receive

when families grow and make new things

and staying in jammies is a relief

there's a little less excitement and magic

so we drink to be naughty and merry

eating Santa's special cookies

and losing the wifi is more scary

Don’t forget to take off your shoes
and leave them by the door
there’s more food than we can eat
you’ll be full with them telling you to eat more

With shared Netflix accounts
we know what shows you’ve seen
and make you repeat holiday specials
as we send inappropriate memes

so we light some candles and sing some songs

to spread some modern holiday cheer

with Asian karaoke scores

with English not so clear

There are too many heads to count
as we put one gift each in a pile
it’s truly a surprise to guess
so  you pick the wrapping with more style

Only to get something to regift next year
as it’s been recycled for a while
so take a selfie or two or ten
in every filter with a smile  

On this modern holiday with loved ones
we’ll post and tag and like
with these new traditions we make
we still cherrish these holiday nights

We refocus our value on family and friends
and make memories for years to come
with so much going on each year
we finally come together as one

Love Always,

Lainey

Copyright © 2018. All Rights Reserved

In Plain Sight

hide in plain sight

seek asylum

in the silence between the noise

 play with broken toys

yeah, pretend to play nice

blinded by your eyes

telling you what to think

what's it mean if I care

when I pretended not to care?

yeah, I hide in plain sight

I can't blame you

when you used to

see me so exposed, fully clothed

and you know it's true

then the excuses came

we were never the same

you gave up, I couldn't save us

so I hide in plain

 in plain sight

but I can't blame you

your weakness for a skirt

you must've been hurt

now you're stuck with your lies

pretend to play nice

in time you'll be exposed

and it's starting to show

so, you hide in plain sight

blinded by your eyes

telling you what to think

what's it mean if you care

when you pretended not to care?

yeah, you hide in plain sight

I can't blame you

when you used to

be unexposed, and unclothed

and you know it's true

hide in plain sight

seek asylum

in the silence between the noise

play with broken toys

yeah, pretend to play nice

Love Always,

Lainey

Copyright © 2018. All Rights Reserved

Take the Shot

spotted you from across the room
tried to dodge your gaze cause you wanted it too
couldn't fight the urge to walk away
tried to keep my strength but it's way too late

I seemed to have lost all control
the way you stare into my soul
and I can't describe how I know
I've known you lifetimes ago

locked in, take the shot
don't hesitate, give it all you've got
and I can tell you've had me before
the way you make me yours

you speak to me with your eyes
break my rules, don't be polite
take me over from head to toe
and you make me yours

 there's a reason why it's here and now
as you brush your fingers across my mouth
 the way you hover around my neck
can't deny how we connect

locked in, take the shot
don't hesitate, give it all you've got
and I can tell you've had me before
the way you make me yours

you speak to me with your eyes
break my rules, don't be polite
take me over from head to toe
and you make me yours

spotted you from across the room
tried to dodge your gaze cause you wanted it too
couldn't fight the urge to walk away
tried to keep my strength but it's way too late


Love Always,
Lainey
 

 

Copyright © 2018. All Rights Reserved

Wrong Place at the Right Time

 I'm writing you this letter in the middle of the night
it's the only way I know how to survive
being in the wrong place at the right time
gets me a glass of whiskey with a hint of lime
and I'm afraid to look up
'cause I get trapped by your eyes, every time

Go ahead and call me weak
go ahead and tell me to go
tell me something I don't know
tell me I'm wrong
tell me to leave
tell me something, anything
'cause your silence is deafening

I fill the silence from weeks before
of all the things we've said and more
and I can tell you're fighting it too
a battle we're bound to lose

And right now you think I'm rude
I'm distant and ignoring you
but I'm writing you this letter on a napkin in this booth
willing you to sober up and tell me what to do
all the things you're afraid to do

Go ahead and call me weak
go ahead and tell me to go
tell me something I don't know
tell me I'm wrong
tell me to leave
tell me something, anything
'cause right now I can't speak

What are you waiting for?
I'm one choice away from not making this mistake

I fill the silence from weeks before
of all the things we've said and more
and I can tell you're fighting it too
a battle we're bound to lose

Caught in a moment of weakness
in this dimly lit room
making my bed into a tomb
sinning at every thought of you

I'm writing you this letter in the middle of the night
I lost all concept of time after midnight
it's the only way I know how to survive
being in the wrong place at the right time...

and I can tell you're fighting it too
a battle we're bound to lose



Love Always,
Lainey

Copyright © 2018. All Rights Reserved

Strangers

another cloudy moonlit night

just like strangers passing by

in a crowded world way too small

run into one and know them all

 

different faces with the same intention

sounds so sweet but forget to mention

how they use people for their gain

swear they've learned but still the same

drowning in the shallow end
water so dark pretend it's cement
act so coy just trying to avoid
anything real they use and destroy

it's just another storm passing through
perfect timing couldn't come too soon
cut the ties between these heart strings
there's nothing worse than losing me

I've got to change and resign
break the pattern of this design
stand my ground and find myself
step away from becoming someone else

can't live up to their expectations
don't they see they're really limitations?
wearing their 50 shades of beige
when I can't and fear I'd fade away

but I won't apologize this time
 stop pretending everything's fine
all I ever wanted was honesty
but truth drowns in low tide of a blackened sea

drowning in the shallow end
water so dark pretend it's cement
act so coy just trying to avoid
anything real they use and destroy

it's just another storm passing through
perfect timing couldn't come too soon
cut the ties between these heart strings
there's nothing worse than losing me

stand my ground and be myself
step away from becoming someone else


Love Always,
Lainey
 

 

 

Copyright © 2018. All Rights Reserved

Halo of Stars

How hallow is your heart
After you give it away
And they take take take it
Wrecklesly?

How violent is your silence
Rattled between your ears
As they say say say things
Carelessly?

Move your lips
Your words trapped behind your tongue
Break the mold when nothing fits
Want it all, end up with none
Don’t give up now when you’ve come this far
Say what you really want

Trace each scar with your eyes
Memorizing each battle you fought and won
Let the ghosts that haunt you die
Take them out with your holy gun
Guided by the stars we’re born under
Protected by a halo of stars

They say it’s destiny
They say it’s meant to be
Why won’t I surrender to fate
And float on clouds of faith
And fall in line like everyone else?
Guess it’s not for me

How big is the mess we make
After we gave our all to create it
As we make make make love
Intentionally?

How deep can we fall in this galaxy
After we spent centuries to end up here
As we lay lay lay here
Endlessly?

We say it’s destiny
We say it’s meant to be
Why am I surrendering to fate
Floating on these clouds of faith
And falling into someone else?

Trace each scar with your eyes
Memorizing each battle you fought and won
Embrace the mess you tried to hide
Guided by the stars we’re born under
Protected by a halo of stars 

  a halo of stars

Love Always,
Lainey

Copyright © 2018. All Rights Reserved



In This Lifetime

I know this place

I've been lost here before

How much of this life is already decided?

How much do we own?

When there's comfort in a heartbeat

and find someone called home

There's life between the pauses

there's beauty in loss we can't see

I tried to bury the maps written by stars

covered in dust from lifetimes ago

but what's meant to be will be

and there's comfort in knowing we're never alone

sometimes I feel so empty handed

trying not to take this life for granted

trying so hard

and sometimes it's harder to speak into reality

hoping maybe it's all a dream

or maybe it's just me

lost in another lifetime looking for signs

I'm trying to get used to change

a test of strength and humility

but at some point it all goes away

and we're left more confused than ever before

fighting not to let the world change us

holding tight to our heart half torn

I guess the test is to stay true

through the painful bumps and bruises

radiate your light through the dark

and use this life to find the ones looking for you

who knew you in all these lifetimes and the next

the ones we never truly lose

Love Always,

Lainey

 Copyright © 2018. All Rights Reserved