The Running Man
          

          In a quiet town where the river winds
          There lived a man who chased the signs
          He’d lace his shoes at the break of day
          And with the morning mist, he'd find his way

          Oh, Johnny boy, you ran so wild
          Like a rolling stone, a wandering child
          With the weight of the world on your weary back
          But nothing could ever keep you from the track

          Through autumn's gold and summer’s fire
          You kept your stride, never tired
          With every step, you faced the end
          The running man who’d never bend

          Oh, Johnny boy, you blazed your trail
          Like a ship set sail with a roaring gale
          With a spirit so strong you never lost track
          Always moving forward, never looking back

          When the doctor said, "Your race is through"
          You smiled and said, "I’ve more to do"
          For there’s miles to go and tales to share
          And a fire in my soul that’s still burning there

          On New Year’s Day, when the frost took hold
          You laid it down like a tale of old
          "How much time?" I asked the open sky
          But Johnny just grinned, said, "No need to cry"

          Oh, Johnny boy, you soared so high
          With wings of hope beneath the sky
          Carrying dreams in a weathered pack
          And you never let the darkness hold you back

          Now the track is quiet, the stands are bare
          But Johnny's footsteps linger in the air
          In the hearts of the lost, the broken, the torn
          Your race lives on in the early morn

          In a quiet town where the river winds
          There lived a man who chased the signs
          He laces his shoes at the break of day
          In eternal mist, he'll find a way
        

        
Ghost in the Gutter
        

          Alfie sailed in from a distant shore
          Chasing a promise that don’t live here no more
          Now he walks through the fog with his coat pulled tight
          Counting the cracks in the cobblestone night

          Oh, the lamplight flickers, the cold wind moans
          The rich drink deep while the poor die alone
          A man ain't much when he’s got no name
          Just a ghost in the gutter with a heart full of rain

          There’s a woman in rags by the old church door
          Selling prayers that ain't worth a penny no more
          She says, Alfie, my friend, you’re as lost as the tide
          But the Lord don’t pay for a place to hide

          Oh, the lamplight flickers, the cold wind moans
          The rich drink deep while the poor die alone
          A man ain't much when he’s got no name
          Just a ghost in the gutter with a heart full of rain

          A banker walks by with a head full of gold
          Never looks down where the gutter runs cold
          The dogs sleep warm and the thieves get fed
          While Alfie just drifts where the lost souls tread

          There's a light in a window, but it ain't for him
          Just a chandelier glow behind curtains dim
          And the city moves on like a wheel in the mud
          Grinding the names of the nameless in blood

          Oh, the lamplight flickers, the cold wind moans
          The rich drink deep while the poor die alone
          A man ain't much when he’s got no name
          Just a ghost in the gutter with a heart full of rain

          So he walks through the mist where the lamplight fades
          A ghost among ghosts in a city of trade
          And maybe someday they'll call out his name
          But the wind only whispers, and it sounds the same
        

          
His Last Bequest
          

          The snow was high, the road was black
          The famine tore, it pulled them back
          A man and wife, one breath, one bone
          Walked northward through the night alone

          Her hands were cold, her voice was weak
          Her hunger robbed the words she’d speak
          He took her up, his back was strong
          But oh, the night, the night was long

          Through bog and stone, through wind and wave
          They carried on—no home, no grave
          No bread to break, no fire’s light
          Just the bitter wind that walked the night

          The frost, it bit, the sky was steel
          No king nor lord would hear appeal
          For hunger knows no church, no crown
          It tears the mighty, drags them down

          At dawn they lay where footpaths cross
          A man, a wife, a world of loss
          Her feet pressed close against his chest
          His final warmth, his last bequest

          No gold was theirs, no stone, no name
          No songs remain, no voice, no flame
          But if you walk where cold winds moan
          You'll hear their love in dust and bone

          And let no bard with silver tongue
          Make soft the tale of what was done
          Sing only this: the hunger came
          And left behind two forms, no names
        

          
Lovers on the Edge
          

          They met in the shadow of a trembling moon
          Eyes like fire, hearts out of tune
          The night was a whisper, the stars held their breath
          As they danced on the tightrope of life and death

          He reached for her hand, she pulled him in
          The taste of her lips was sweet as sin
          They burned like embers in a hurricane's eye
          Falling together, too wild to fly

          They kiss, they break, they rise, they fall
          They're nothing, they're everything, they're nothing at all
          Bound together, torn apart
          Lovers on the edge of a restless heart

          They claw, they fight, they tear the air
          Lost in a moment where nothing’s fair
          They build and destroy, they bleed, they feel 
          The line between madness and a love unreal

          Morning came softly, ghost on the floor
          Pieces of them scattered, lost once more
          Within the wreckage, a spark still remains
          A promise of passion, a touch of insane

          They kiss, they break, they rise, they fall
          They're nothing, they're everything, they're nothing at all
          Bound together, torn apart
          Lovers on the edge of a burning heart

          They scream, they cry, they breathe despair
          Caught in a silence that fills the air
          They shatter and mend, they break, they feel
          Lovers on the edge of a love surreal

          So here’s to the fire that can’t be tamed
          To love that’s reckless, to hearts unclaimed
          They’re shadows, they’re echoes, a wild refrain
          Lovers on the edge of joy and pain
        

          
Echoes of Justice
          

          You builders of ruin
          You merchants of dread
          With hearts cold and cruel
          You leave homes to shred
          There's a chill in the air
          From the plans you devised
          You peddle destruction
          Beneath cloaked disguise

          You feast on the agony
          Reap profit from pain
          While the tears of the grieving fall like biting rain
          The young lie in tatters
          The old fade away
          Yet you revel in chaos
          As you lead them astray

          War’s sweet bliss
          That's your wretched gain
          While the world cries in anguish
          Hearts laden with strain
          You play with the lives
          As if pieces in a game
          Leaving naught but the ashes and the echoes of names

          A child’s cry echoes
          It pierces the night
          And you're deaf to their sorrow
          You’re lost in your might
          Every land you have scarred
          Every soul you have vexed
          Yet you bask in the pyres of a future perplexed

          You might cloak your crimes
          Behind banners and trust
          But your empire of lies will erode into dust
          For the cries of the fallen
          They haunt the night air
          And no riches can purchase the peace that’s not there

          You masters of sorrow
          Architects of pain
          Will you face retribution
          Or just feigned disdain?
          For the ghosts they are rising
          From the fields laid bare
          And perhaps someday soon
          You’ll find justice there

          When the last echoes fade
          Of the havoc you’ve wrought
          The weight of your deeds
          Will be all you’ve got
          For the world won’t forget
          The darkness you’ve spread
          And in the end, you'll meet
          The judgement you've bred.
        

          
Ode to a Nightingale
          

          Oh the wind, it calls me yonder
          Through the fields so soft and wide
          Where the wildwood’s shadows wander
          And the silver rivers glide
          There the lark is ever singing
          In the golden morning light
          And my heart with longing winging
          Seeks the hush of endless night

          Sing, oh nightbird, ever low
          Through the leaves where moonlight glows
          Take my sorrow, take my pain
          Let me never wake again

          Oh for draughts of sweetest nectar
          Aged in earth so cool and deep
          With the scent of rose and heather
          That could lull my soul to sleep
          Fill my cup with warmest sighing
          Let the past be lost in wine
          Where the dreamer, softly dying
          Fades into the darkling pine

          Sing, oh nightbird, ever low
          Through the leaves where moonlight glows
          Take my sorrow, take my pain
          Let me never wake again

          Wish that I could fly beside thee
          Not on wagons bold and bright
          But on whispers soft that guide me
          Through the dark embrace of night
          Where no sorrow dims the meadow
          Where no weary heart can weep
          Let me pass into the shadow
          Let me lay me down to sleep

          Sing, oh nightbird, ever low
          Through the leaves where moonlight glows
          Take my sorrow, take my pain
          Let me never wake again

          Far away the dawn is breaking
          Still the earth is cold and bare
          Yet the nightbird’s song is aching
          Softly laced upon the air
          Now I wonder, was it dreaming
          Or some echo of the past
          Gone is music, lost its meaning
          Yet its whisper still shall last
        

          
Oh Time You Thief


          I was young in the shade of the orchard trees
          Where the sun rolled down like honey bees
          The rivers sang through the barley and grass
          And the hours spun gold that would never pass

          The hills wore crowns of the morning dew
          And the sky was a song in an endless blue
          The barns held secrets, the foxes ran wild
          And the world was a garden where I was a child

          Oh time you thief you gave and you took
          Carved my days in your open book
          Green and golden, and I danced in your light
          Now I sing in the chains of your endless night

          The fields are still there, though I’ve gone away
          The horses and owls, the dawn’s gentle sway
          But the wind whispers soft, and the stars sadly weep
          For the boy who once roamed in the kingdom of sleep

          I was young when the moon rode high
          And the barns held the echoes of a midnight sigh
          The hay was sweet, the stables warm
          I thought I’d outlast the break of the storm

          Oh time you thief you gave and you took
          Carved my days in your open book
          Green and golden, and I danced in your light
          Now I sing in the chains of your endless night          
        

          
Old Man's Whiskey
          

          Old man sits by the window pane
          Whispers carry the scent of rain
          Holds his bottle, a weathered friend
          Life’s long story, nearing its end

          Dusty shoes and a tattered hat
          Memories dance in a smoky flat
          Whiskey warms his frail cracked bones
          Nights of silence, distant moans

          Whiskey river flows so deep
          In the dreams where old men weep
          A heart that's heavy, tales untold
          Whiskey’s burn, memories of gold

          Once he roamed wild open lands
          Now his world fits in trembling hands
          Eyes that’ve witnessed rise and fall
          Every sip, he’s seen it all

          Whiskey river flows so deep
          In the dreams where old men weep
          A heart that's heavy, tales untold
          Whiskey’s burn, memories of gold
        

        
Paper Boats in Old Lost Dreams
          

          Don’t talk about the days back then
          When coffee rose and hope came in
          When mothers’ hands hung sheets to dry
          Like tattered prayers against the sky

          Don’t talk about the trees that swayed
          Or the songs the blackbirds made
          Don’t talk about the men at night
          The open door, the flickering light

          Oh, the wind’s got no name, the river don’t stop
          The world turns on, ready or not
          If you stand real still, if you don’t make a sound
          You might hear the earth spin round

          Don’t talk about the first cold rain
          Or the way the streets called out your name
          Don’t weigh down the table with stories untold
          Some things get too heavy to hold

          Oh, the wind’s got no name, the river don’t stop
          The world turns on, ready or not
          If you stand real still, if you don’t make a sound
          You might hear the earth spin round

          One day a child with eyes so wide
          Might ask you ‘bout the other side
          And you might send your voice downstream
          Like paper boats in old lost dreams
          Like paper boats in old lost dreams        
        

          
Dear Alan
          

          In a room of steel and secrets
          A lone mind went astray
          Cracking codes of human shadows
          In the thick of war's cruel play

          With numbers whispering softly
          Where the silence held its breath
          Built a puzzle of the unseen
          In the face of coming death

          Kings and queens and pawns
          They danced in his tireless thoughts
          Breathing life into machinery
          Where human touch was lost

          A chess game never ending
          With spectral moves unseen
          Every answer held in shadows
          Secret whispers in between

          A sight beyond the veil
          Betrayed by time and law
          The world could never fathom
          All the genius that it saw

          Penance paid in cold resolve
          A mind left to decay
          A heart that screamed for justice
          Taken on that cruel, black day

          They judged you oh so harshly
          When the truth was plain to see
          A mind that gave us victory
          Chained by narrow hate's decree

          And in the quiet of the meadow
          By the lakeside where you wept
          You bit into the apple
          Poisoned by the tears you kept

          A bite of silent protest
          A fruit of knowledge gained
          Left us ponder the wonder
          And the sorrow that remained
        

          
Dust on the Shoulder
          

          Fingers calloused
          Strings betray
          Words that howl
          Won't keep at bay
          Trouble's shadows stretch and sway
          In the end
          The price you pay

          Rusted blade
          A heart gone cold
          Echoes whisper
          Lies they told
          Midnight barrels
          Fear unfolds
          In the dark
          The truth is sold

          Dust on the shoulder
          Wind in the trees
          Voices that smolder
          Lost in the breeze
          Rivers run colder
          Nights never cease
          Hands on the trigger
          Begging for peace

          Broken bottles
          Shattered dreams
          Silence louder
          Than it seems
          Lonely highways
          Twisted schemes
          In the end
          They're just bad dreams

          Howls of sorrow
          Screams of pain
          Kings and jesters
          Both insane
          Iron shackles
          Heavy chain
          Freedom's just a fleeting name

          Dust on the shoulder
          Wind in the trees
          Voices that smolder
          Lost in the breeze
          Rivers run colder
          Nights never cease
          Hands on the trigger
          Begging for peace

          Dust on the shoulder
          Wind in the trees
          Voices that smolder
          Lost in the breeze
          Rivers run colder
          Nights never cease
          Hands on the trigger
          Begging for peace
        

          
Swasticar Blues
          

          Oh, they say there's a man with a fortune so grand
          Built rockets and cars with a wave of his hand
          But money and power, they darken the soul
          And now he's out diggin’ a deep, ugly hole

          Yeah, he’s preaching about freedom, but only his kind
          Silences voices he don’t wanna find
          He’ll cry like a child about free speech and rights
          Then crush all dissent in the dead of the night

          Oh, the Swasticar rolls, down the boulevard wide
          With a smug little driver, and his billionaire pride
          Goes from zero to fascist in three seconds flat
          You can buy one today, if you're cool with all that

          Now he's hand-in-hand with the kings of the right
          Laughs at the poor and their never-ending fight
          Says he’s a genius, a man of the stars
          While he’s buildin’ a throne out of misery and wars

          So the Swasticar rolls, down the boulevard wide
          With a smug little driver and his billionaire pride
          Goes from zero to fascist in three seconds flat
          You could own one today, if you're cool with all that

          And the sycophants cheer, they kneel at his feet
          For a throne made of lies and the scraps from his feast
          But the ones who resist, oh, they see it so clear
          A fool with a throne ain't a king to revere

          Yeah, the Swasticar rolls, but the people all see
          A man drunk on power ain't a man who is free
          It goes from zero to fascist in three seconds flat
          You can get one today, but who would want that?

          So sing for the truth, let the echoes be loud
          For the ones in the shadows, for the lost and the proud
          And if you see him comin’, just know what he’s worth
          A zero, a nothing, a plague upon birth
        

          
Master of the Midnight Move
          

          From the heart of a country, cold and wide,
          Rises a shadow where the truths divide.
          Through the eyes of a player who knows the game,
          A silent struggle against the tyrant's name.

          Oh, master of the midnight move,
          In your darkened halls, what do you prove?
          In the land of winter's endless night,
          We stand against your blinding might.

          In the quiet rooms where secrets lie,
          A challenge to the power that won't die.
          With every pawn and every move,
          A whisper of freedom starts to groove.

          Oh, master of the midnight move,
          In your darkened halls, what do you prove?
          In the land of winter's endless night,
          We stand against your blinding might.
          Against your might.
        

          
Masters of Deceit
          

          You build your empires, brick by brick,
          With death in your eyes, you make me sick.
          You send the young to fight your wars,
          While you stay safe behind closed doors.
          You speak of peace, but hold the sword,
          And sow devision, the burden's we bear

          Masters of deceit, kings of despair,
          Your greed and power, the burdens we bear.
          You paint your lies, but we see through,
          The future's bleak, all thanks to you.

          You profit from the blood and pain,
          Counting coins in the storm and rain.
          You write the laws, bend the truth,
          Leaving scars on the soul of youth.
          You smile and nod, with empty eyes,
          While mothers weep and children die.

          Masters of deceit, kings of despair,
          Your greed and power, the burdens we bear.
          You paint your lies, but we see through,
          The future's bleak, all thanks to you.
        

          
Miracle in Motion
          

          You're the poet in the silence, the dancer in the dark,
          The spark that starts a wildfire, the arrow from the arc.
          Oh, I see you in the swaying of the willow’s gentle bow,
          In the spinning of the heavens, I can feel your glow.

          You're a whisper in the canyon, a ripple in the stream,
          A lantern in the distance, lighting up a dream.
          The wind tells your story though you haven’t yet cried,
          You’re the echo of tomorrow, soft as moonlight’s tide.

          Your father and your mother, they’ve been running through the rain,
          With a pocket full of questions and a shadow full of pain.
          But they hear you in the thunder, see your light upon the hill,
          A beacon in the distance, a promise to fulfill

          Someday you’ll be walking where the shadows used to lay,
          The sun upon your shoulders and the night you keep at bay.
          Oh, the world will try to name you, but you’ll teach it something new,
          A miracle in motion, the road will follow you.
        

          
Singer of the Sun and Moon
          

          In the days of peace and love so free,
          A voice emerged with clarity.
          Through the echoes of a changing tide,
          She sang her truth with eyes so wide.

          Oh, singer of the sun and moon,
          Your melodies brought light so soon.
          In the festival of dreams and song,
          You led us where our hearts belong.

          From the city parks to the Woodstock stage,
          Her voice was wise beyond her age.
          With a guitar and a heartfelt cry,
          She showed us how to touch the sky.

          Oh, singer of the gentle rain,
          With every note, you eased our pain.
          In the tapestry of love and light,
          You wove the songs that felt so right.
        

          
Little Man's Throne
          

          In the towers tall, where the shadows grow long,
          There's a man who's been singing his own song.
          From the golden halls to the bitter streets,
          He's a story of triumph and deceit.

          Oh, tiny man, what have you done?
          You've played your games, now the show must go on.
          With your words like fire and your heart of stone,
          You've turned the world into your throne.

          With promises made of a wall to build,
          He deceived the hearts of those unfulfilled.
          But behind the smiles, there's a deeper tale,
          Of power and greed and the way we fail.

          Oh, little man, what have you done?
          You've played your hand, and the deal's been spun.
          With your words like fire and your heart of stone,
          You've turned the world into your throne.

          Now the history books will tell your name,
          A legacy of fortune, a game of fame.
          But the people know, as the seasons turn,
          That the lessons learned are the ones that burn.
        

          
The Shape I Hold Dear
          

          Your eyes hold a weight that the years can’t explain
          They shine through the cracks where love hides its pain
          You speak like the rivers that run to the sea
          With whispers that drown out the doubt inside me

          I’ve seen the storms rage, I’ve felt the earth fall
          But your voice is a thread that stitches it all
          Not soft, not gentle, but certain and clear
          A truth that’s a flame, burning bright, drawing near

          Oh, the shape of you, carved in my mind
          A map of the world I was meant to find
          Through the broken roads and the bitter climb
          You’ve held me steady, you’ve given me time

          You move through the moments that others let fade
          A keeper of things the world never made
          I watch, and I wonder how one heart contains
          The sun and the sorrow, the joy and the rain

          And if there’s a story at the end of my days
          It’s written in footsteps that walk in your ways
          Oh, the shape of you, it’s all I’ve known
          The place I return, the place I’ve grown

          Oh, the shape of you, carved in my mind
          A map of the world I was meant to find
          Through the broken roads and the bitter climb
          You’ve held me steady, you’ve given me time

          Throughout the years, both quiet and wild
          You've carried my heart, my love and my child
          A friend, a lover, and a beautiful wife
          The soul of my journey, the light of my life

          During our journey, I’ve learned what is true
          Life finds its meaning when I share it with you
          In all that I’ve gathered and all I hold near
          I carry your love, the shape I hold dear
        

          
The Storm Shall Break
          

          Oh, the thunder rolls and the night is black
          Smoke is rising, ain't no turning back
          Some march for freedom, some march for fame
          Some march ‘cause they ain't got a dollar to their name

          There's fire on the water and blood on the land
          A blind man shouts, "Won’t ya lend me a hand?"
          The cities are burning, the churches all quake
          And the wind keeps whispering, "The storm shall break"

          Oh, ride, ride, ride that train
          Through the valley, through the rain
          Hold on tight, don’t be afraid
          The storm shall break, the storm shall break

          The tyrant sits on a chair of gold
          Spinning his lies while the world grows cold
          But the rivers still run, and the fields still grow
          And the hands of the weary still reap what they sow

          Now London is weeping, and Paris is chained
          And Kyiv is fighting through snow and through pain
          From the Yangtze shore to the streets of Rome
          A million souls that just want to go home

          Oh, ride, ride, ride that train
          Through the valley, through the rain
          Hold on tight, don’t be afraid
          The storm shall break, the storm shall break

          Now the dust will settle, and the dawn will rise
          The bells will ring under the open skies
          And the scars of war, they don’t fade fast
          Cuz echoes of battle, well, they sure do last

          So sing it low, sing it true
          Sing it for me, I'll sing it for you
          For as long as the wind and the river shake
          Somewhere, somehow, the storm shall break

          Oh, ride, ride, ride that train
          Through the valley, through the rain
          Hold on tight, don’t be afraid
          The storm shall break, the storm shall break

          Oh, ride, ride, ride that train
          Through the valley, through the rain
          Hold on tight, don’t be afraid
          The storm shall break, the storm shall break
        

          
The Devil's Bargain
          

          The banker shakes hands with the preacher at dawn
          Says, "I’ll trade you a soul for a ticking time bomb"
          The judge sips his whiskey, the jury's gone blind
          The law’s just a beggar with his hands tied behind

          Oh, the devil’s bargain, signed in the sand
          They sell you the ocean, they sell you the land
          They promise you bread, they hand you a stone
          Then tell you be grateful you're not all alone

          A beggar buys stocks in a company town
          They build up the sky while the people sink down
          The rivers run backwards, the clocks start to bend
          The war's just beginning, but they call it the end

          Oh, the devil’s bargain, priced by the pound
          They pave over Eden, they flatten the ground
          They bury their secrets, they whisper their prayers
          Then tell you salvation is sold in the square

          The oil man laughs in his ivory hall
          Says, "The higher you climb, the harder you fall"
          He lights up Havana with gasoline dreams
          Then sells you a map to a place he's not seen

          Oh, the devil’s bargain, dressed up in white
          They poison the wells and they call it their right
          They offer you freedom, then tighten the chain
          Sell you a shelter and then summon the rain

          So tally the numbers, the balance is due
          The house always wins, but they’re betting on you
          The ink’s turning crimson, the pages still burn
          And the wheels keep spinning, but not for their turn

          Ah, the devil’s bargain, wrapped up in gold
          They auction your soul, and call it controlled
          But one day the puppets will sever their strings
          And the stage will collapse as the guillotine swings
        

          
The Night is Long
          

          In the house of the people, the old man stands,
          With a trembling voice, he gives commands.
          His eyes are weary, but his grip is tight,
          Holding the reins through the darkest night.

          Oh, the winds of change are cold and cruel,
          An iron grasp, a fool's man tool.
          Hold on tight, to the threads of fate,
          For the night is long, and the dawn must wait.

          His speeches falter, his steps are slow,
          Yet he clings to the seat where power flows.
          The halls of power echo with his name,
          But shadows linger, plotting their claim.

          Oh, the winds of change are cold and cruel,
          An iron grasp, a fool's man tool.
          Hold on tight, to the threads of fate,
          For the night is long, and the dawn must wait.

          There's a serpent waiting with an evil grin,
          Eyes on the price, ready to step in.
          The old man fights with a heart so bold,
          Against the tide, as the night grows cold.

          To hold on tight, or let it go.
          A crossroads stands, with fate in tow.
          In his decision, the night may creep,
          Or dawn may break from the depths so deep.
          So deep.

          Oh, the winds of change are fierce and cold,
          An rusty grasp, a story told.
          Hold on tight and the threads will break,
          For the night is long, and the dawn won't wake.
        

          
Whispers of Waves
          

          Salt in the air and the wind at my side
          Endless horizons where the lonely abide
          Stars are my blanket
          My boat is my bed
          Dreaming of you in the moonlight's spread

          Ocean's a mirror
          Your face in the deep
          Echoes of laughter that haunt me in sleep
          Nights are so silent
          The gulls do not cry
          Wishing you’re here as the long days go by

          Oh, the sea's got a hold on the heart of a man
          Spent all the seasons with this lonely plan
          Waves whisper secrets
          But they can't comprehend
          Pull of your love that won't ever end

          Fishing through shadows that dance on the waves
          Stories of old sailors lost in their graves
          Tales of the sirens and tempests that brew
          None of them compare to missing you

          Compass is broken, direction runs wild
          Maps were the dreams of a love reconciled
          Foghorn is moaning a sorrowful song
          Yearnings of distance where I don't belong

          Oh, the sea's got a hold on the heart of a man
          Spent all the seasons with this lonely plan
          Waves whisper secrets but they can't comprehend
          Pull of your love that won't ever end

          The anchor is heavy, the journey is long
          But love's not forgotten in the ocean's song
          I'll sail through the storm with the calm and the blue
          And dream of the map that will lead me to you