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 .