This is the second song from my debut EP "Where Does it Come From, Where Does it Go Forever?" This EP was written in the late 2000s and released in July of 2010. This song is extremely personal to me, as I have watched many of my friends suffer from addiction. The first line of the second stanza is a homage to Sage Francis' "Broken Wings." Without him, I would not be a musician. Random trivia: This is still the only song I've ever written with three verses.
You can listen to the song here: https://introvert.bandcamp.com/track/epitaph
Starry eyed explorer found another flag to drop
in the form of loose pills to conquer her America.
One straight to the head, a tight grasp towards her pocket:
an archetype for innocence with diamond eye sockets.
No longer interested in soft words or sonnets,
only cares about the war she's lost and when she'll find her coffin.
Will any words be etched in the granite to whisper her legacy?
A legend in her own terms utilizing Athena's jealousy.
It's sad to see the day when the sky falls like this:
Clouds retreat to avoid the crash, but comets will not miss.
In that crater we will find a body if we're lucky
Label her a misfit and another helpless junkie.
But I can see better, past black and white shades
into the gray area in which her mind lays,
and I don't think I can save her, but I hope that I'm led to
That little lonely girl just begging to be rescued
You don't have to go through this yourself.
All you've got to do is ask for help.
All you've got to do is ask for help.
All you've got to do is ask for help.
You don't have to go through this yourself.
All you've got to do is ask for help.
All you've got to do is ask for help.
All you've got to do is ask for help.
This fairy's broken wings don't flap like they used to,
writing diaries in angel dust, but the meanings misconstrued.
And after her pen bled all the ink that she could use
she starting using her own blood to write the feelings that she knew.
Now the page is full, and there's so much left to write,
carves the meaning of her story on her skin and swears that she's alright.
It makes me see the world in a completely different light.
I hate to see you hurt yourself but whatever helps you sleep at night.
It's scary asking all the places that you've been
when rings aren't the only things that are piercing your skin,
but you're having dreams now, so there's progress to attempt.
The road to recovery is plagued with hurdles and missteps.
And I am here to catch you if you ever start to trip;
help guide your arrow towards all the targets that you've missed.
You can ask for anything, I'll do what I can,
so don't be hesitant if you need a helping hand
You don't have to go through this yourself.
All you've got to do is ask for help.
All you've got to do is ask for help.
All you've got to do is ask for help.
You don't have to go through this yourself.
All you've got to do is ask for help.
All you've got to do is ask for help.
All you've got to do is ask for help.
The funeral was silent, sky was overcast
cast over cloudy hearts and a less than sunny past,
sent shivers down our backs as wind whipped our spine
standing shoulder to shoulder in a large circular line.
Preacher said words from a bible, every one read.
If God loves all his children, then you have been adopted,
placed in a foster home, your self esteem depleted,
practically given up at birth. Now I hope that you can see that
the mistakes that they made were much more than monumental.
You are living proof that life isn't always gentle,
but you have your own touch have so much left to give,
so many things to say and so much more life to live
We buried the body so nobody could see
the shell of what once was and who you used to be.
And all you did was smile as we made our way home
to scribble I survived on your empty headstone.
I really like your flow (reminds me of Atmosphere) and it's a nice beat, very organic and the vintage-y synths over piano and string is always a sweet sweet combo. We all have someone in our lives who were or still are afflicted by addiction, really touching to hear you get personal and intimate about it, much to relate to and ponder on. Nice track, introvert, lovely stuff, brother!
Thank you so much for your kind words! Hopefully, you'll enjoy the newer songs I've written as well.
This was incredibly touching and hit really close to home for me. In the past year I lost my oldest friend (of 36 years) and his younger brother to overdose. I've watched many others struggle. Thank you for such a beautiful consideration of the depth of these pained individuals. They are more than their addiction and it's nice to see someone bring that out.
I am both glad that its relatable and sorry at the same time. Indeed, people are more than their vices, and it's near time that we learn that as human beings.