If I could kill a word

and watch it die

I'd poison never

shoot goodbye

And beat regret

when I felt I had the nerve

Yeah I'd pound fear

into a pile of sand

Choke lonely out

with my bare hands

And I'd hang hate

so that it can't be heard

If I

could only

kill a word

Yeah I'd take

brokenness out back

And break heartbreak

stand there and laugh

Right in its face

while shootin' it the bird

I'd put upset down

in its place

I'd squeeze the life out

of disgrace

Lay over under six cold

feet of dirt

If I

could only

kill a word

Give me sticks

Give me stones

Bend my body

Break my bones

Use staff and rod to turn me

black and blue

'Cos you can't unhear

you can't unsay

But if they were up

to me to change

I'd turn lies and hate

to love and truth

If I

could only

kill a word

Yeah I'd knock out

temptation's teeth

I'd sever evil

and let it bleed

Light up wicked stand

and watch it burn

I'd take vice

and I'd take vile

And tie 'em up

there with hostile

Hang 'em high

and leave 'em for the birds

If I

could only

kill a word

So give me sticks

Give me stones

Bend my body

Break my bones

Use staff and rod to turn me

black and blue

'Cos you can't unhear

you can't unsay

But if they were up

to me to change

I'd turn lies and hate

to love and truth

If I

could only

kill a word

If I

could only

kill a word