By Degrees

When I take a look around me

Sometimes I wish I was blind

Feels like something sacred's dying

One headline at a time

I can't tear myself away

No, I just stare in disbelief

You can learn to live with anything

When it happens by degrees

I've seen every head bowed down

As if lost in private prayer

I've seen the phones in every hand

Seen the long and vacant stares

Of souls gone numb

Thumbing through each ceaseless changing feed

You can learn to live with anything

When it happens by degrees

I've seen talking heads shout back and forth

Across some great divide

Against a map of red and blue

Points of view so cut and dry

But when you look into the mirror

What color country do you see?

Well, you can learn to live with anything

When it happens by degrees

I've seen the flags at half-staff

As the nation mourned and moaned

I've seen the stars and bars a-flying proud

Above the State House dome

For the Charleston Nine, we sing

I once was blind, but now I see

We can learn to live with anything

When it happens by degrees

I've seen little hands on little shoulders

Children in a line

I've seen them lead away from school

As the shots rang out inside

And I thought something had to change

But somehow it's become routine

We can learn to live with anything

When it happens by degrees

And I've seen sadness seep into my heart

Each day a little more

This darkness growing so familiar

I can't recall what came before

My children's faces filled with questions

Looking up expectantly

And I don't know what to tell them

No, I can't bring myself to tell them

That you can learn to live with anything

When it happens by degrees