Call Off Your Ghost
Dessa Lyrics

My father was a paper plane, my mother was a wind swept tree
My father wasn't around much and my mother was always changing and unpredictable.

My little brother is nearly twice my age, he taught me how to meditate
Despite the age difference, my brother was a calming influence on me and taught me how to relax.

I taught him how to read
I was able to help my brother with his reading skills.

I grew up with a book in my bed, I got these dark circles before I Turned ten
Reading was a constant in my life and sometimes kept me up late into the night.

Heard my mother with her friends worry it was something she did, to get Such a serious kid
My mother was concerned that her parenting had resulted in my serious nature.

But I've learned how to paint my face How to earn my keep How to clean my kill Some nights I still can't sleep The past rolls back, I can see us still
I have grown and learned a lot, but sometimes memories from the past still haunt me and keep me up at night.

You've learned how to hold your own How to stack your stones But the history's thick Children aren't as simple As we'd like to think
My brother has grown into his own person and become more independent, but we both have a complicated past that has shaped us into who we are now.

Before you came along I was a lone cub Fell in love with language, tried to tell the grown-ups About the storm clouds, the weather in my head Hadn't heard the word for melancholy yet
Before my brother was born, I felt alone and struggled with my emotions. I didn't have the words to describe my feelings at the time.

Then you came in five years behind We thought you couldn't talk, turns out you were just shy Mom said it was serious, dad said you'd be fine I thought you were the prophet of 1989
When my brother was born, we weren't sure if he was developmentally delayed, but it turned out he was just shy. I saw something special in him.

You were so tender, we thought something was wrong with you So patient, we thought that you were deaf You were so solemn, so tiny but so ancient Ma took you to see doctors, you scared her half to death
My brother was very different from what we were used to and it was hard for us to understand. He also scared my mother when she took him to see doctors.

And I made you a library of tiny books with spines 2 inches high You didn't say too much But your smile taught me how to quiet down my mind
I tried to connect with my brother through books and his smile helped me find peace.

You slept in my bed, and if I kept quiet I could hear all the voices in your head When the wagon tipped I prayed over your body, I asked God to take the damage out on me 10 years later he finally gets the memo, sent it to accounting And knocked out my front teeth
I was protective of my brother and even prayed for him during a traumatic event. Later, when I was physically hurt, I saw it as the damage being transferred from him to me.

But you came to, and took my hand, and held my eyes and... Me and you, had a long walk home, so we decided not to cry
My brother and I were there for each other during difficult times and found comfort in each other's presence.

Now we've got a grown up love And I know that's how its supposed to be Same old story, mom gets Easters, let's dad have Christmas Eve But I won't pretend I don't remember How unusual we were The little mystic and his handler All some children do is work
As adults, my brother and I have a strong bond, but we still remember our unique and at times, difficult childhood. We both had to grow up too fast and take on responsibilities beyond our years.

I've learned how to paint my face How to earn my keep How to clean my kill Some nights I still can't sleep The past rolls back, I can see us still
I have adapted and learned a lot in my life, but sometimes memories from the past still keep me up at night.