Some songs come fast and hatch out nearly fully formed, up on their skinny little legs before you know it. Others can take weeks, months, or even years to germinate. This is one took a while. I came across a tiny scrap of writing which included what became the title in a notebook that I've had kicking around since high school. So it's an old idea. Maybe I needed to be kicked around and chewed up by life a bit more before I fleshed it out. 

The "out stealing horses line" comes from a book called "Out Stealing Horses" by an amazing writer named Per Petterson that Vicki turned me onto.  It concerns a desire to be off and alone, a "plunge into solitude" as one reviewer put it. 

Patrick's fiddle playing on this track makes my heart ache. 
If I Could Only Close My Eyes

You're out steeling horses my love
I'm left without a ride
I'd sit and dream of your return
If I could only close my eyes

I'm going through my paces
Will I ever know your mind?
I wouldn't care about what I'm missing
If I could only close my eyes

But my eyes are wide open and the sky is falling apart
I can hear the howl of a desperate wind
Waiting for the end to start

The rich man has his money,
He can steal and cheat and lie
And I would have such riches and wealth 
If I could only close my eyes

I cannot make things better my love
There is no place left to hide
The only peace we ever may know
Will come when we close our eyes


But my eyes are wide open and the sky is falling apart
I can hear the howl of a desperate wind
Waiting for the end to start

It's only a matter of a few more days
There will be no more tears to cry
I'll lay me down and find my peace
And  learn to close my eyes


But my eyes are wide open and the sky is falling apart
I can hear the howl of a desperate wind
Waiting for the end to start