inside my head
there is this voice
feeds me lies
tries to coerce
while i smile
the secret's kept
swinging by
a gossamer thread

argues with
my sanity
makes excuses
who to believe
feel like i've
been left for dead
swinging by
a gossamer thread

shows up early
stays till late
opens up
the flood gate
on wobbly knees
afraid what's next
swinging by
a gossamer thread

What's this you say
Oh, it's just the dumpster fire
Been burning for countless years now
Just close your eyes and mind and you'll be fine

They've been promising to put it out
For umpteen years gone by
You'll eventually grow numb to it
After all it's all a part of life

Not quite sure who really started it
So many passing blame
But say they have the answers to
The ever-growing flames

Using our hard-earned dollars
As a means of kindling
Getting hotter now than it's ever been
With manmade hate as gasoline

One thing we can all be thankful for
Is the heat it's putting off
For the homeless on every street corner
And Winter coming on

When it comes to dumpster fires
This one seems to be burning on mankind's decline
And the people that keep on stoking it
It's bound to burn itself out in time

With tight grip on the wheel
Trying my best to steer myself clear
Every sign I pass says yield
How in the world did I get myself here

Never sure of my direction
Left, right, up, or down
You can tell by my expression
Driving in a heavy mist of doubt

Continuously flashing the high beams
With my confidence running low
On this rocky road it gets hard to see
Seems so long ago I lost my way home

Pretty sure this is my own fault
How much more will I allow
Before the fool in me is caught
Driving in this heavy mist of doubt

No one said life would be easy
In fact, at times, it's rather cruel
When you struggle with the keeping
Up with all the rules

Overtime I've perfected the lost part
Still looking to be found
Being in the dark is my lost form of art
Driving in this heavy mist of doubt

These days I find, the more they lie
The better off I feel
And over time, wanes the desire
To know if it's fake or real

The world we're in, tends to lend
The short end of the stick
But don't worry none, they still have fun
Beating us with it

Don't dare take the lies and question why
There's no need to know the truth
Just behave and do what they say
If you know what's good for you

Over time we've turned a blind eye
To what is really going on
If you ask me from what I see
Do we even want to know

There's no need to dip your fingers in
Their massive slice of the pie
Just sit back relax, forget the facts
And keep believing all the lies

Until the day you die...

Slipping and sliding
Back into the past
Foolishly buying
All the foolishness they've said

Stacking me against you
Pitting you against me
Does it hurt to stretch the truth
If the lie is so easy

Keeping us under lock and key
Mental Slavery

Under their thumbs
We're being kept
Simple pawns
In their game of chess

We take them at their word
This herd of talking heads
As we rely on every line
That we're being fed

Keeping us under lock and key
Mental Slavery

With the slightest of resistance
We feel we should fight back
But at our own insistence
It's ambition that we lack

So we follow along the path
Eyes closed to reality
Turning us against each other
Makes it hard to see

Keeping us under lock and key
Mental Slavery

You can turn on the radio
Turn on a dime
Turn on the folk you know
And never know why

Turn on the air
As it's hot in here
Turn on a darkened path
That at first looks clear

You can turn round your life
It's never too late
Bury the knife
On your past mistakes

You can even take turns
With family or friends
Turn to your enemy
And make amends

You can turn it all on
Or turn it all off
Without a single glance
Or a second thought

You can turn left or right
Or even go straight
That's the thing about life
You can turn either way

I often talk
Though he struggles to hear
Or see the facts
With vision unclear
A wrinkle or two
Both here and there
Who ever knew
I'd be the old man in the mirror

The graying in spots
And thinning of hair
The same old tired jokes
He continues to share
Says they're laugh lines
But we know why they're there
Blame it on time
Me and the old man in the mirror

His eyes show concern
And a deep hidden fear
As the tables have turned
With death ever near
As conversation moves past
From the past to here
How did we get here
Says the old man in the mirror