Track 10: "The Ring"

Intimate Neo-Soul Ballad

Verse 1: I wore it for ten years A circle with no end That's what they told us Forever, no beginning, no end I believed it I touched it when I was nervous Twisted it when I was thinking It was part of my hand Part of my name Part of who I thought I'd always be

Pre-Chorus: But forever has an ending When you finally wake up And the circle that meant promise Starts to feel like a lock

Chorus: The ring came off But the mark is still there An indent in my skin Where forever used to live I'm not erasing you I'm just making room For whoever I'm becoming Without you on my hand The ring came off The love didn't disappear It just doesn't fit anymore

Verse 2: I kept it in a box at first Couldn't throw it away Couldn't sell it either It felt like selling a decade Selling the woman who said yes Who believed every word Who didn't know she was asleep When she put it on

Pre-Chorus: Now I look at my bare hand And I don't feel empty I feel light Like I finally took off Something I didn't know was heavy

Chorus: The ring came off But the mark is still there An indent in my skin Where forever used to live I'm not erasing you I'm just making room For whoever I'm becoming Without you on my hand The ring came off The love didn't disappear It just doesn't fit anymore

Bridge: To every woman staring at her hand Wondering if she's allowed to take it off Wondering what she'll be without it Wondering if bare means broken

It doesn't Bare means ready Bare means beginning Bare means you're finally Holding your own hand

Final Chorus (Softer): The ring came off I'm still whole The indent is fading But I'm not erasing what was I'm just making room For what's next

Outro (Spoken): I was somebody's wife Now I'm just Somebody And somehow That's enough