when she was a bright eyed little girl
no dreams ever seemed out of reach
after years of tasting the bitter world
she only felt so tired and weak

she found herself a soothing potion
something to make her feel her best
like waves pouring from the ocean
she really loved to ride that crest

she didn't realize she was in so deep
the receding waves had the strongest tow
what this ocean takes, it will keep
sunken lives are found below

she found herself only treading water
it was getting harder to stay afloat
drowning like other sons and daughters
in distress, in the sea of dope

get away, don't even look at me
if you had your way, you'd throw the book at me
trained paranoia
all you see is the crooked me

we are all suspects

let me be, don't even follow me
i'm not free, you want to collar me
crime corporation
all you see is the dollar me

we are all paychecks

life can be less than a pleasure
in this place where the rest are weathered
preset on a quest forever
resorting to their desperate measures

life can be light as a feather
when you'er blessed in the test of endeavor
regret for the best is never
and everything just comes together

I can feel spirits of tortured souls
they can crawl right up my spine
they won't let me let the horror go
their suffering is all mine

i can hear voices of murdered dreams
like a ringing in my ears
i ask god why i'm serving screams
i ask why i'm herding fears

i see fingerprints of ****** grips
crimson smudges paint my wall
i write down their troubled scripts
every time those spirits call

audio recording
https://soundcloud.com/gary-loftis/spirits-of-empathys-burden

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if what doesn't **** me makes me stronger
why do i feel like i'm a goner
i still ache from pain i ponder
i don't know if i can hold on much longer

if what doesn't **** me makes me better
why does my heart feel like leather
i still feel every trauma ever
i don't know if i can feel pleasure

how am i supposed to take my time
when i don't know when time is taking me
how can i make up my mind
when my mind is only breaking me

how can i see it clear
when it clearly can't be seen
how can i stop the fear
when the fear is everything

how am i supposed to let it be
when my thoughts aren't letting me
how can i get the point
when the point keeps stabbing me