A Toast

Something in the way we never said goodbye 

Or good luck with your future life

Is keeping me from moving on

And every angry word I shouted out

Is slowly coming back around

A burden that I face alone 

And every regret stinging in the 

Vows you made in May

To someone I will never be

Another chance is gone

So I will make a toast

To forget every ghost of your return

And help me learn

To let it go 

Here’s to all the things we never said

And days of silent time well spent

And lessons learned to never wait too long

And here’s to all the beauty that I left you with

To carry on with someone else and

Here’s to you

Here’s to you

Every time you look into her eyes

I wonder if you realize

That I’m the only one who ever knew

I got inside your head 

And made sense of the mess and

Showed you how to love the very best

Part of you 

CHORUS

BRIDGE

And every time I find some piece of mind

The memory of us haunts me

You’re coming back to haunt me now

I know I have a life 

You have a wife

And time’s gone by 

And it’s all over now

I know that it’s all over now

But I can’t forget you

Copyright  © 2009 Renee Winter

Alive

This is your life

What are you waiting for

A sign to say everything’s safe

Close your eyes

See the world outside the walls that you’ve been building

And make it yours today

CHORUS

And I don’t want to go

Where I know only happiness is waiting

I might never be strong again

And I don’t want to see

All the easy ways to what I’m hoping to find

I want to be alive

Feed the fire

Feel the rain outside your window

The haze of all the yesterdays gone

Be inspired

Learn to break out of your mold

Embrace the empty when you’re feeling alone

CHORUS

You’ve waited so long

The past is gone

The future is only an illusion

You’re here and now

So take a bow

Breathe it in

Catch the light

Today you are alive

CHORUS

Copyright  © 2006 Renee Winter

All Right

Baby don’t wait up for me tonight

Yeah, I’m here but I’m already out of your life

Strange how the emptiness feels right

After years of being afraid 

Baby, I’m all right

I am stronger now

I don’t need your help

‘Cause I’ve made a peace within myself

Now I know I can

Carry on

Years went by where the past was all I had

Too afraid to let things go and leave it all to chance

It’s everything you fear that makes you whole

It took all the love in the world to let it go

I am stronger now

I don’t need your help

‘Cause I’ve made a peace within myself

And now I know 

You won’t always know just where to find yourself

When yesterday is gone

Today will be your everything

Hold on to only what you know    

You’ll be free to be alive

When you’re free to live your life

Alone

So carry on

Carry on

Carry on your life is your own

Let it go

Let it go

Oh carry on

Strange how the emptiness feels right

After years of being afraid

Copyright  © 2007 Renee Winter

Because of You (Dad)

You taught me to never lose that sense of wonder

Seen only through the eyes of a child

From playing games

To crawling underneath the table

You showed me love with a laugh and a smile

You were always there to lend a helping hand

And I know you’ll always be my biggest fan

There’s a million lonely miles between my heart and my home

But when I see you in my own eyes then I know I’m not alone

Because of you I live with dreams in my eyes

Because of you I see the magic in life

And now I know

I’m glad that I’ve got a friend and dad

Who makes me proud of everything I am

  I’ll always treasure our long conversations

And every summer day that’s come and gone

A man who’s been through everything 

But gives so much to the world

I’m proud of everything you’ve ever done

We’ve made a lifetime full of memories so far

Like the time we threw the fruit out of the car

There’s a million lonely miles between my heart and my home

But when I see you in my own eyes then I know I’m not alone

Because of you I live with dreams in my eyes

Because of you I see the magic in life

And now I know

I’m glad that I’ve got a friend and dad

Who makes me proud of everything I am

Because of you I see the music in me

Because of you I can love completely

I’m never alone

I’m glad that I’ve got a friend and dad

Who makes me proud of everything I am

You make me proud of who I am

Copyright  © 2007 Renee Winter

Breaking Out

I want to be light

Want to hear all the heartbreak hits

On the airwaves tonight

I want to be free

Feel the rain on my face and

Wasting away with the night

I wanna react

Wanna wade in the gray

Unafraid if I’ll ever come back

I need to feel your love

Suffocating love

Reckless sating love

I’m breaking out

From the walls that you put me in

I begin to fall down

I’m reaching in

To a heart that is waiting

In dark for a spark to begin

I’m screaming out loud

For a dangerous night

Wanna run wanna fight you again

I’m letting go

Of the innocent eyes

And the lie that we’re never alone

 I need to feel your love

Suffocating love

Reckless sating love

Falling downward

Drowning

Love, your words are everything

(can save me)

I need to feel your love

Suffocating love

Lie in waiting love

Cold sedating love

Infiltrating love

Reckless sating love

Copyright  © 2006 Renee Winter

Chaos

Oh, say can you see them

As they wait for us to save them

It’s too late

We’re busy fighting just

For our own sense of pride

What a perfect day  

When one gives way 

To love and love equates to hate

When someone’s brave enough

To wade through all the lies

When will we go beyond what is known

Is there anyone here who cares anymore

What we’ve done, what we do will (can) not be ignored

And the (your) future will suffer the lie

That we are free

From the corner of my eye

I see a sign saying “Unwelcome”

Go away you are not wanted

You don’t need a better life

There’s a man and man who suffer

For another who would rather see

Them falter than recover

Who will stand up for their right?

As the hate rings out tonight

All we do is close our minds

To the madness that unfolds in waves

Right before our eyes

As you’re warm and safe tonight

Think of all who we’ve left behind

And know your rights

While you are free

Copyright  © 2006 Renee Winter

Crazy Man Song

And I fell out of love with you

When you threw away my shoes

And you broke my radio 

And smashed my phone

What was I supposed to do?

Just hang around for you?

It’s a shame you went insane

But I found my way back home 

20 messages in one hour

An angry letter with my flowers

You should’ve known the crazy act

Was not the way to bring me back

What was I supposed to do?

Just hang around for you?

It’s a shame you went insane

But I found my way back home 

BRIDGE 

She was only 16 

We would fight and you would call her on the phone

And I knew that song wasn’t for me

It was reused for every girl you’ve ever known

You kept lying and I know

You were never at the studio

When you called me crying from her home

I laughed ‘cause I was not alone

What was I supposed to do?

Just hang around for you?

It’s a shame you went insane

But I found my way back home 

Copyright  © 2009 Renee Winter