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No Roads Lead to Rome

from Atlas Collapsing by Four Quartets

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lyrics

N O R O A D S L E A D T O R O M E

I ONCE SUBSCRIBED TO A DAYDREAM: THE FREEDOM OF MAN
MANY LIES OF ENLIGHTENMENT THINKING
SOLD THE WORLD DOWN THE RIVER FOR MEANING
A PIOUS DREAM IS AN EYEGLASS FOR MAKING SENSE OF THE WORLD
YOU CAST YOURSELF IN A ROLE YOU APPROVE OF
THEN SHUT YOUR MIND TO THE CONTRARY MOVEMENT

BONES BREAK 'CAUSE YOU CAN'T EXTRICATE
WE'LL ALWAYS BE MYSTERIOUSLY WRONG
AH THE FLAG THAT I FLY!
THE ALBATROSS AROUND MY FRACTURED NECK

SO I SCRATCH MY NAME ON THE EPITAPH OF WHO I THINK THAT I AM
BREAK THE WINGS OF MY PEGASIAN HERO
SCRUB THE GOLD FROM MY COUNTERFEIT HALO
AND FOLLOW ME DOWN INTO HADES (I'VE A ROOM WITH A VIEW)
AND I'LL SING YOU ALL SONGS WITH OUT MELODY
AS WE SQUEEZE THROUGH THE BLACK AFTERNOON

BECAUSE REALLY, IS IT YOU AT THE WHEEL?
A SYNTHESIS IS ALL THAT YOUR ALLOWED
YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO LAUGH
LEST YOU MEET THAT THREE-HEADED HOUND

BECAUSE ALL THESE SLAVISH DESIRES ARE JUST CARROTS ON STICKS
I'LL TAKE MY PLACE AS A FOOTNOTE
TO A TEXT THAT'S BEEN TOTALLY BLACKED OUT
WHO SAID A PRAYER FOR THE LIVING AND THREW THEMSELVES IN THE THAMES?
WHO DEVOTED THEMSELVES TO GIVING
INSOFAR AS IT SUITED THEIR OWN ENDS?

AND DON'T YOU DARE PATRONISE
YOU'RE JUST ANOTHER MEMBER OF THE BLIND
IS YOUR DARKNESS AND LIGHT
OBSCURITY AND LUCID INSIGHT

HELD TO RANSOM FOR ALL THAT YOU OWN
TO CLEAR THE PATH FOR THIS VEHICLE OF EGO
THERE'S A CHIMERA DOWN IN THE WATER
NOW HARK! THATS THE GROAN OF THE MARE'S NEST
BREAK THE WALLS OF THIS TEMPLE OF MINE!
TORCH THE IDOLS AND EFFIGIES BEFORE MY EYES!
I WANT TO TASTE ALL THE ASH AND THE WASTE TO REMIND ME
HAIL THE INSECTS FOR THEY SHALL INHERIT THE EARTH

credits

from Atlas Collapsing, released October 6, 2012

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