Horns, fanfare, exulting throng The king was returning with a new dawn The names on the map had all withdrawn It all belonged to him, to them, to no one Garlands, songs, dance, cheer Feasts, revelry now that fear Was banished deep inside that mirror Where divergent countenances no longer appear The king rose before them all A hush rose throughout the hall He said: “No atlas is needed now “All lines with walls must fall” The advisers cried, commanders rolled their eyes The jester sized the king for his cap and bells They said: “Do tell us has your well of reason gone dry?” “Peace is a deceitful child cloaked in robes docile “All the while hidden knife is restive “And your breast is where it will paint its smile” The king offered a smile of his own As he pointed toward the throne Saying: “This hallowed hunk of wood once stood “A tree taller than any in this city – now look “And we may choose to cling to that chair “But why not instead sing of a castle in the air? “You fear the axe that would cut you down “While you're ground 'neath the weight of my crown “So down with the walls lift the defenses “For fearing the assassin is quite senseless “When the gentlest among us “One day might very well hunt us” So they shrugged and complied, gates were opened wide And aside swords and shields were laid But sure enough one day the page he cried: “Sire, take a look outside “Like a rising tide see the armies stride “And in their eyes is no compromise “They still have an atlas bring ours back lest there's no last line left to draw behind” Wheel of fire Tempest in a jar And a rope of sand disintegrating at both ends and Mortal coil twists and roils our caravan As it wends its way from womb to grave Atlas in hand, the subjects stormed the hall And implored the king to save them all He pointed to the wall – Where hung a mural with dragon unfurling... his wings and the king said you can bring... me that atlas but the fact is... the lines bursting there... aren't the ones that now scare...you to your... knees your unease... is just an appease...ment of the dreams sent by your demons your freedom can only come... if you receive them The walls they shook and the atlas book fell to the floor As a soft knock came upon the door And they were struck dumb when the king said “come” And the door slowly swung open Wheel of fire tempest in a jar And a rope of sand disintegrating at both ends Mortal coil twists and roils our caravan As it wends its way from womb to grave What do you hope to save? What will you save? Horns, fanfare, exulting throng From inside the dungeon the king listened and yawned

There was a man who lived back of beyond He was fond of the quiet and a mind let free to roam His home was a tower with no clocks the hour was always at hand To span the divide that clove wrong from right To find the gate where he could... See with more than two eyes open Hear the sun in the breeze Smell the tide turn the ocean Taste where mind and sky meet Touch the freedom of ambiguities (brief interlude) And that man who lived back of beyond Had a pond he'd fish in sometimes he'd slip in and let himself sink on down When he would return he found he'd unlearned the reasons for seasoning His mind with proofs to flavor stale truths whose use kept him from... Seeing with more than two eyes open Hearing the sun in the breeze Smelling the tide turn the ocean Tasting where mind and sky meet Touching the freedom of ambiguities Easy does it you can shovel away but the puzzle remains There's a truth that can fit any part that you wish to play We can rise above it but those four winds will still have their say And the day is waning and I'm no longer feigning That I've found a sound to crown all these notions that I expound Away away I'll meet you halfway 'tween our devils and the deep blue sea Come see come see all the debris left behind by steadfast belief And I grieve I grieve 'cause it seems to me all we try to achieve's so misguided I can't hide it... can no longer hide it... back of beyond

You there with the vague stare Nod if you can hear me I won't claim I've been there and I don't really care If it was bad luck or error that's led you here Where you're trapped on a bridge 'tween clans riot clowns Pushed to the ledge looking down... Behind, ahead – all around for a hero to come But now hanging off a cliff shoved by your nemesis Below's a snake pit and they're pissed Who writes this shit? And tell me why is No hero coming.... To the rescue To rescue... You you'll just have to... Do if we're gonna pull on through It's cruel, true, when you have no mask or cape And escape has always it's been your play to slink away But now tied to the tracks you see the smoke plume Train coming fast hello, Doom You hear the horn blast “Stop!” you say, “Let's resume “When the hero comes” But now walking the plank cutlass at your back Over a shark tank and they just snacked On your hero who sank like a stack of bricks I hate this script Now who'll come to the rescue who's gonna rescue... You you'll just have to... Do if we're gonna pull on through It's cruel, true, when you got no super powers And the hour has come when all depends on you and it's sad but true that... You are no more precious Than anyone else is in this boat With this truth you will have to wrestle If you're to help keep this vessel afloat And reluctant was the way So many great ones felt when called And luck may grant you no favor But brave or not look you're holding the ball You're small I know you're small hey, so what one's still more than zero And you are and we are you are and we are you are and we are the only heroes Who can... Who can... turn around this thing But then again... but then again... maybe we should maybe we should just... take wing

And here at last the swan song and I left the final helmsman Twelve sailors – should I say jailers? Failures? None could guide this craft home and How on Earth did I lose the sea? When it was right there under me And through this song, this spyglass what do I hope to see? A beach that I might reach a paradise that's my prize? for slogging through this whole journey And as I'm tossed by this storm of my own design Through the moaning wind comes the hint of a note that's not mine And within listens my third ear And it steers me t'ward that voice that cryin' of a... ...Siren has it always been? There luring me Toward these shoals where a soul trades all for the ecstasy Found in song and I listen, I ride waves of bliss and float on eternity 'Til I run aground and then drown pleading Time for mercy And this sweet torment... that's bent me 'til I've spent The crux of my days lost in this haze And with the ruins of my time should I build a raft and climb aboard? and try for another shore? Oh But why should I try to break free? This isle isn't such a bad way to go it's not such a bad place to be And in the end I do believe the siren The siren, in fact, it really is just me A seashell left whispering The dreams... of the sea