Open up the borders release the plague
open the carnival, open the graves
send for your bible send for your cane
sit down at the table, feel the clank of the chain
can't you explain, why can't you explain?
the pain of the game
the moment you were born the race had begun
and you run and you run to catch the fast-rising sun
don't tell them your dreams or they'll laugh in your face
just climb up the ladder, put them in place
and as you climb higher, they start to feel small
pretty soon you'll rule over them all
you run through the forest you run to the lake
you'd better run faster or you're going to be late
to your own execution, it's drawing quite a crowd
and as you draw closer, they start to get loud
the executioner greets you as a friend
he says "everyone's here! everyone you sent (with your pen) to their ends"
you awake with a sweat from the terror of the night
in your bed of delusions its sheets crisp and white
with your lover beside you and the sun on the floor
surrounded by all the good things you adore
but you wish you could speak to them, the ones in your dream
you'd ask them "what does it mean?"
that your dreams are the machines of your grief
but you spent all the money on new machines of war
while a shivering ex-serviceman dies right outside your door
you run to the churchyard to bury your head
or seek some forgiveness from the souls of the dead
but they won't forgive you, they're not even there
all you can squeeze out is an insincere tear
the further you go, the further you run
the longer the shadows from the fast-setting sun
'till it stares at you coldly straight in the eye
the witness to every one of your lies
the witness to every deed you tried to hide
then it sinks and leaves you alone with the night
now only the mirror can see what you've done
but it won't forgive you it's just like the sun
your family won't protect you nor will the police
nor will the prisoners you have released
but it's in your own head where the judgement is found
it's there with the sound of the pound of your soul going down
There's also a demo of this song here: https://youtu.be/Kyx6hF0rQVU (at about the three-minute mark)
