I Choose to Leave

Intro

You stood beside me at the clinic door

Said, "We can make it through one night more"

I watched your hand reach past my open palm

And choose the bottle, while I stayed calm

Verse 1

I learned the sound of your key in the lock

The careful pause, the lie around the clock

Your coat still carried rain from the avenue

But every promise came back bent in two

Pre-Chorus

I called your name; you turned away

I kept a place for you to stay

Chorus

You chose the drugs instead of me

You chose the dark and called it free

I held the door, I held the truth

You let it fall; I couldn't pull you through

You chose the drugs instead of me

Now I choose who I'm going to be

Verse 2

The rent was due; your mother called again

I made excuses I could not defend

Your little brother left his drawing there

A crooked house, two figures, one shared chair

Pre-Chorus

I carried both our names for years

Till love could not outshout my fears

Chorus

You chose the drugs instead of me

You chose the dark and called it free

I held the door, I held the truth

You let it fall; I couldn't pull you through

You chose the drugs instead of me

Now I choose who I'm going to be

Bridge

I won't mistake your pain for mine

Or trade my life to buy you time

If you return, come clear-eyed, come true

The next step belongs to you

Final Chorus

You chose the drugs instead of me

You chose the dark and called it free

I held the door, I held the truth

You let it fall; I couldn't pull you through

You chose the drugs instead of me

But I choose life, I choose to leave

Outro

I choose to leave

I choose to leave