Careless - Richard Shindell

When I lost you

It was April-May

I can’t be more precise

I was drinking then

And the time-frame is a wash

But I lost you

Of that I am quite sure

All your reinforcements

All your messages

I got them all

Sure I was drinking

But that is no excuse

the drink brought out the worst in me

But the worst in me was me nevertheless

But I’ve learned to live with it now

But that doesn’t mean forget

How careless I was with you then

You who were once my friend

We are our actions

Not our intentions

Mine were reprehensible

It’s a heavy word

But nothing else will do

And so I keep them

Sometimes I take them out

I hold them up and look at them

To remind myself

Of how far I can fall

I’ve learned to live with it now

But that doesn’t mean forget

How careless I was with you then

You who were once my friend

Careless, how could I have been

So careless with you, my friend?