Lyrics I almost deleted

Some of the lines I am proudest of were one keystroke away from being thrown out. They felt embarrassing the day I wrote them. Too plain. Too obvious. Not literary enough.

I have learned to flag those lines instead of deleting them. If a line makes me wince, that is often because it is true and I do not yet trust the truth in it. Time fixes this. I read it again a week later and the wince has turned into a quiet recognition.

The lines I should actually delete are the ones that make me feel clever. Cleverness is what I reach for when I am hiding. Plainness is usually where the real song lives.