You’re hell-bent on heaven,

Valhalla or Calvary,

Elysian Fields, but -

What if it isn’t meant to be?

You long for ambrosia,

Ecstasy divine,

But we’re already swimming,

Oh, swimming in Brandywine.

The light at the end of the tunnel went out again Now I can’t find my way through this hell that I’m living in And I see in your eyes the same fear that would take me But I’ll be damned if you think that I’d let this fall break me And you’ll have to kill me If you want to watch me die Because I’m not going anywhere This is my battle cry

And at the end of the night I may not see the light But I promise you this I’m not done.

You can call me Defiance When hope is lost, call my name Cause we’re coming out swinging We were forged in these flames Cause it’s time to start fighting When we’re too numb to scream This may feel like a nightmare But a nightmare’s just a dream

And at the end of the night I may not see the light But I promise you this I will run

[inst.]

And at the end of the night I may not see the light But I promise you this I will run

[Outro, spoken] So, you stared into the void And the void stared back? Well, I say it’s time we made the bastard blink.

The man in the arena Valiant of heart, I’m spending my self To practice my part Each day I strive forward, My devotion great, Because all know that daring Will lead you to fate

Chorus: I’m in the arena Can you taste the sweat And I’ll swear that I’m fine Cause I’m not dead yet I’m in the arena Can you taste the blood I’m baring my wounds May they lead me to god

Daring greatly I’ve known Neither vict’ry nor defeat Though I’m trapped in this circus With the sand ‘neath my feet Come now, send me your lions Your butchers and fiends, Give me glory to die for, Something to believe.

[Interlude]

The gates shatter open To free the enemy Too quickly I’m cut down By weapons unseen My knees hit the sand Judgement I await I live here or die here A servant of fate

[Chorus]

The crowd is too silent I am going numb I beg them for mercy But no verdict comes There’s no challenger coming The guards have all fled I am my own captor The fight’s in my head

[Chorus]

I know that you’ve noticed her dance in the sky It must be for you, why else would it catch your eye With all its delicate passes and intricate colors It couldn’t be designed for any of the others She’s always been so beautiful, So charming, kind, and dutiful, Our little butterfly.

Never tell her what’s on your mind - just light the gaslight You’ll find that like a moth to the flame, she’ll soon alight And the moment her feet make contact with the glass Her every mystery is within your grasp She’s always been so beautiful, So charming, kind, and dutiful, Our little butterfly.

Pin her down, bring the scalpel, see what you find When you tear open the carapace of that vibrant mind After all, lepidopterology is such a civil hobby What’s a little dissection, between friends, over coffee She’s always been so beautiful, So charming, kind, and dutiful, Our little butterfly.

And once every secret that was once hers is yours Mount them on the wall like those who came before Because every thought that’s examined is safe Categorized and alphabetized in its case She’s always been so beautiful, So charming, kind, and dutiful, Our little butterfly

It’s a desolate wasteland Between sea and sky Our bodies are fragile And spirits are tired But we’re not lost at sea Nor have we ever been All we need is this moment Driftwood, and a friend

Find me the sky And I’ll show you a star We’ll never be lost When they know where we are So our course is uncharted Destination unknown Maybe the journey Was always our home

So when hope fills your heart And you hear me sigh Take my hand, drifter Ask for the sky

I don’t see what you see in me This night will be more painful than it needed to be Taking your hand was a gamble - I’m making a mistake Because now both of us get to see how I break I’ve never found a burden that I can not bear But looking in your eyes has me running scared.

What use am I, some novice paramour, Two left feet, shaking hands, and my heart on the floor, I’ve been here before, I can tell you the ending - I’ll just break your heart, my hands were made for the rending, But I’m trained to bleed, I’ve been beaten down before, So don’t trust me with your hopes, just trust me with your wars Caught between love and war, and the coin’s showing hearts - Flip the thing over, darling - I’m good at this part.

Look in my eyes, to the grey room where I hide The countdown of hours in this limbo in my mind, Among the living, it’s been celebrated I wonder if they know the walls have been decorated With dissected dreams that I’ve rendered as art And hopes that I’ve shattered and scrapped for their parts, To be or not to be, and the scales tip to life  - Move me over, darling - I’m better on that side.

They say by light of day that everything is clearer Yet I can never meet the eyes of the person in the mirror There’s a chapter of Inferno dedicated to betrayal Sometimes I think “stranger” means someone I haven’t failed They say it’s better to have loved and lost, of course you know the rest, I’d rather say I feel nothing, spare you the trouble, it’s for the best. Debating truth and lies, and the jury’s without doubt - Change their minds again, darling - you know what I’m about.

I don’t know what you see in me This night’s been more painful than it needed to be Taking your hand was a gamble - I made a mistake Because now both of us have seen exactly how I break I never found a burden that I could not bear Until I looked in your eyes and noticed that you cared.

I’ve found myself in a bit of a bind It all started the moment you first caught my eye And I can’t figure out how you wandered inside This secreted labyrinth I call my mind.

So help me or hurt me, whatever you will won’t say what I’m thinking, but I just can’t sit still I’m not sure how to handle these feelings of mine so I guess I’ll just stay here and try to get by.

I heard your song beckon from over the hedge, That night you got lost and slipped into the maze, But I don’t know how to ask if you’re looking for me - Or if I’d survive your voice calling my name.

So help me or hurt me, whatever you choose can’t tell which you’d rather, but I know I could use some respite from the way I’ve been feeling these days God, I wish that your smile wasn’t such a damn maze

The ever-gracious host, I’ll approach you one day, Your feet seem so sure, but do you know the way? I’ll let you find your own path, but silently pray, Hope against hope I’ll convince you to stay.

So help me or hurt me whichever you please I don’t know what you want, but I know you’re a tease I’m not one for fairgrounds or playing the fool But if the prize is your heart then I’ll play by your rules

Come inside, look around, and I promise you’ll find an impossible story of possible lies but if your story’s as wild as mine I bet we could have such a wonderful time.

@buildyoursound

But I'll steady your hand as you aim for my heart,

I'm a stranger to love,