Birches

C G Em Dm F G C They sat at each end of the couch Em And watched as the fire burned down Dm So quiet on this winter's night F G Not a porch light on for miles around C Then he said, "I think I'll fill the stove Em It's getting time for bed" Dm She looked up, "I think I'll have some wine F G How 'bout you?" she asked, and he declined C "Warren," she said Em "Maybe just for tonight Dm Let's fill the stove with birches F G And watch as the fire burns bright C How long has it been? Em It's been quite a while Dm Pour yourself half a glass and F G Stay with me a little while" C And Warren, he shook his head Em As if she'd made some kind of joke Dm "Birches? On a winter night? F G No, we'll fill the stove with oak" C "Oak will burn as long and hot Em As a July afternoon Dm F Birch will burn itself out G By the rising of the moon" C "And you hate a cold house same as me Em Am I right or not?" Dm F "All right, all right that's true" G She said, "It was just a thought" C Then she said, "Warren, you do look tired Em Maybe you should go up to bed Dm I'll take care of the wood tonight" F G "Oak", he told her, "Oak", she said C She listened to his footsteps Em As he climbed up the stairs Dm Then she pulled a sweater on her and F G Set her wine glass on a chair C She walked down the cellar to the wood-box Em It was cold as an ice chest Dm F Then climbed back up with four logs G Each as white as a wedding dress C And she filled the stove and poured the wine Em Then she sat down on the floor Dm She curled her legs beneath her F G As the fire sprang to life once more C And it filled the room with it's hungry light Em And it cracked as it drew air Dm F And the shadows danced a jittery waltz G Like no one else was there C She stood up in the heat, and Em She twirled around the room Dm F And the shadows, they saw nothing G But a young girl on her honeymoon C And she knew the time, it would be short Em Soon the fire would start to fade Dm F She thought of heat, she thought of time G C She called it an even trade