Piece of Me

When I first heard "Tear in Your Hand" by the incomparable Tori Amos - who, for the record, happens to be (in my opinion) one of the most prolific singer/song writer/performer of our time - I was simply floored.

The poignancy of the lyrics really took me a while to digest and when I finally did - years and countless plays later - I really understood what Tori was trying to convey.

I was only a teenager when I first heard the song, and initially, I liked it because it just sounded good and I loved how Tori's voice had the hypnotic quality of lulling the listener into her world, but once the words registered with me, in some way, the song changed my perspective on relationships.

I think that when relationships deteriorate and people go their separate ways, more cases than not, the breakdown is due to a third party. A good friend of mine, a male at that, told me that men don't necessarily cheat or "stray" because the woman that they're with isn't good enough...it's that the other woman is just different. I think this can apply for women as well.

His statement also stunned me, because I had never really considered that motivation and I couldn't agree with it more.


Nothing in this life is guaranteed and nothing lasts forever. Love is something that takes a lot of work to maintain. It's so much easier to leave than to stay, when those first-dating-falling-in-love-honeymoon-phase emotions vaporize and you're stuck with the reality of the day-to-days of being in a relationship.

Tori sings about the concept of "pieces of me" and how that everyone has sides/facets to them that they never really reveal to even the closest people in their lives. "Pieces" can be anything: character traits, dreams, desires, hopes, wants, personalities, etc.

The concept of how someone can be in a relationship - for years upon end - and not really entirely know the person that they love and care about the most. Sometimes, it's a voluntary decision of not revealing all those "pieces" but oftentimes, time is the greatest enemy. Sometimes people aren't patient enough to see those "pieces" in the people they love.

And sometimes, I think people just don't want to see those "pieces" in the people they love...and want to find them in someone else. In the song, Tori sings about basically being dumped for another woman and the concept of how the other woman is just "pieces" of Tori that the man hasn't seen yet.

The real question I want answered is, if the man eventually did see those "pieces" would he have still wanted to stay in the relationship?

Tear In Your Hand

All the world just stopped now
So you say you don't wanna stay together anymore
Let me take a deep breath babe
If you need me
Me and Neil'll be hangin' out with the dream king
Neil said hi
By the way I don't believe you're leaving
Cause me and Charles Manson like the same ice cream
I think it's that girl
And I think they're pieces of me you've never seen
Maybe she's just pieces of me you've never seen well

All the world is all I am
The black of the blackest ocean
And the tear in your hand
All the world is dangling...
Dangling'...Danglin' for me darlin'
You don't know the power that you have
With that tear in your hand
Tear in you hand

Maybe I ain't used to maybes
Smashing in a cold room
Cutting my hands up every time I touch you
Maybe maybe it's time to wave goodbye now
Time to wave goodbye now
Caught a ride with the moon
I know I know you well
Better than I
Used to haze all clouded up
My mind in the daze of why it could've never been
So you say and I say
You know you're full of wish
And your "baby baby baby babies"
I tell you they're pieces of me you've never seen
Maybe she's just pieces of me you've never seen

All the world is all I am
The black of the blackest ocean
And the tear in your hand
All the world is danglin'...
Dangling'...Danglin' for me darlin'
You don't know the power that you have
With that tear in your hand
Tear in you hand
With that tear in you hand

I pray that I have the patience, courage, want and appreciation for the "pieces" in those I love. And I pray that they can return me the favor.

And I often wonder if the men that I encounter are just looking for "pieces" of me in other women and if I ever will have the chance to reveal my "pieces?"

I want someone to want my "pieces." As much as I will want theirs.