Hesitation
(Charles Smith - 11/15/2006)

Onward and onward the road stretches out before me,
Gone into darkness, beyond known constructions.
Lined with the stains of blood and deception
That separates the Gods from the common man.
How much longer?
How much harder?
How much stronger
Must I be to reach the end?
And she clings to my arm and begs me not to leave-
But I know that I've got to do this.

The silent voices cry in vain all around and above me-
I try to ignore them any way I can.
But the scars on my hands and my eyes they hurt so bad
And keep reminding me of where and what I once was.
Can I leave it?
Can I live without it?
Can I forget about it?
Why won't they leave me be?
And she says that this is all blown out of proportion-
But I know that I've got to go through with this.

Just a fly on the wall, Just a smudge on the portrait-
The lowest of low, the most important of all.
Watching The Wretched, it's become a hobby,
And wondering what they'd say if they knew I was here-
"What do we make of it?
What all's been done to it?
What can we take from it?
How can we do it harm?"
And she tells me there's no reason to be scared-
But I know that I cannot take this.

Caught in the arms of perpetual motion,
Dragging me upwards as time slows down.
These things keep tugging, collecting behind me
And gnawing and gnawing and gnawing and gnawing...
This faith, it has blinded me,
The Truth evades me,
These words, they astound me-
But I know where I went wrong.
And she says not to pull away when she leans in to kiss me-
And for once I can't think of anything to say.