Phish.net

“Splinters of Hail” is a short acoustic piece penned by Trey about finding inner peace amidst turbulent times. The destruction of his most prized outward creation in 2004 – Phish – apparently didn't address the root cause of a prevailing pain in the writer's life. Phish, it seems, wasn't the problem.

For Trey, peace apparently came through rehabilitation. "Turning off the notices" of band meetings, rigorous touring schedules, backstage guest lists. Finding the beauty of small things. Discovering the building blocks of a meaningful life – true friends; family; a genuine sense of one's self. When you cut through the bullshit, what is really important? What matters? The imagery of "Splinters of Hail" offered by the song's ethereal presentation may well strike a superficially beautiful pose, but this poem traverses a prism of incredibly hard work, with equally deep rewards.

Sometimes we reach these opportunities for self-reflection willingly, at others they are forced upon us. At the proverbial end of the day, coming around, each of us finding our respective center... could anything matter more? Through this song (and others in the Joy oeuvre – "Kill Devil Falls," "Gone," and "Let Me Lie"), Trey is seemingly expressing the finding of his own center. May we all.

(Anastasio)
© Who Is She? Music, Inc. (BMI)

Found the beauty of small things
in this time, running free
turned off notices
feet are back on the ground
in this time, came around

Ladders rising up and through these
splinters of hail
these blocks I built
are keeping me from letting go

Pick up one
see it
put it aside
Turn around, around

Found the beauty of small things
splinters of hail
(splinters of hail)

Turn around
splinters of hail
(splinters of hail)