Empires Of Loneliness

(album: Songs From The North I, II & III - 2015)

A lonely shape at my door, as death walked in
Turned his grey face toward me
No eyes, but his stare pierced my soul
No words, but I knew his reasons well

Nothing here for me, just a burden to others
I followed his slow steps
Quiet sighs straight into the night

Through these streets of flashing lights
Shapes with eyes like shadows and stares so hollow
Nowhere to go, but lower from here
Deeper, down into the fear and hopelessness

Hell everywhere around me
So why would I have anything to lose if I follow?
Through this city of long shadows we walked
This world of empty souls

Kingdom of fear and hearts so lost, abandoned by the light
Cells of empty shells, filling their insides
With promises of something, anything

These grey towers around me, climbing toward the night sky
Reaching for the clouds, like birds so black high above
With their all seeing eyes, the halo of their stares

And these concrete walls with dim lights that are covered with curtains
And within are those stairs, just leading down to the depths of hell

This carnival of everything
Yet we have nothing, but this horror of our existence
Couldn't find more reasons to pray for a better tomorrow
All I achieved was just more distance

From my dreams, my hopes and from the light of the morning
That I separated myself from so long ago

So I followed his slow steps and quiet sighs
To the place I loved most as a child
Where I chased my dreams and waved to the passing trains
The miracles of life

And here, back on those same tracks I stand again, being so much less
Now alone, holding nothing within, but this empire of loneliness

The low rumbling sound of a train
In the distance, its blinding eye in the dark
Ready to swallow you whole
Left in pieces like my wounded soul

And here, back on those same tracks I stand again, being so much less
Now alone, holding nothing within, but this empire of loneliness

Then from the dark, a small glimmering light did appear
With the trembling wings of a butterfly, it shone a light into my night
A halo of a childish hope, reaching from somewhere, long since gone

I held my breath and it landed on my arm and asked:

"Is there still anything worth reaching for?"
And my heart said "no"
"Any light or goodness in you worth holding on to?"
And my heart said "no"

I closed my eyes, got on my weak knees and breathed in the dark glow
As her wings turned to ashes, from ashes to a black moth
I heard the sirens and screaming of the iron
And my heart still said "no"

This carnival of everything
Yet we have nothing, but this horror of our existence
Couldn't find more reasons to pray for a better tomorrow
All I achieved was just more distance

From my dreams, my hopes and from the light of the morning...

So I followed his slow steps and quiet sighs
To the place I loved most as a child
And there, back on those same tracks I stood again
Now alone, holding nothing within, but this empire of loneliness