Gilded Cage

[Folk Rock] [Classic Rock] [Country Rock] [Warm] [Nostalgic] [Haunting] [Mysterious] [Smooth baritone male vocal] [B minor] [Controlled vibrato] [Intro] [Verse 1] The sky becomes a shroud of smoke and ash Shrapnel blooms where the wild grass crashed They say our bones are too weak to stand Our old ways cursed this broken land So I chase the light on the western wave Where the hymns of freedom never fade [Pre-Chorus 1] I walk through fire, through dust and rain To the land where the pain will wash away [Verse 2] The air tastes sweet like honeyed clover breath Glazed rings glint on the silver step Men wear crowns on the concrete throne Their cries twist high in the twilight drone A man steps forth, his smile like aged wine Says "Wanderer, you've come to the end of the line" [Pre-Chorus 2] He holds the door, the light spills wide Says "Leave your burdens, step inside" [Chorus 1] Welcome to the Isle of Evergreen Children's laughter skips across the green Tiny feet chase fireflies in the breeze Through the marble halls where the chandeliers gleam Silk gowns spin to a silent string "This is the heaven I've chased," I sing [Interlude] [Verse 3] Crimson drapes frame the velvet board Faces glow like embers soft and warm Silver plates bear the finest fare Goblets brim with the rarest air Laughter curls through the incense haze I sip the wine, drunk on freedom's grace [Verse 4] Now the walls warp in the fevered glow Faces from home drift through the smoke Men in tailored suits with eyes of steel Stare like hunters at the game they steal Through the pane, the high notes crack and bend Not laughter now, but a desperate wail [Chorus 2] Welcome to the Isle of Evergreen Where the gilded bars are never seen Tiny cries get lost in the velvet din Through the marble halls where the shadows win Silk gowns spin to a dying string "This is the cage I walked in," I sing [Guitar Solo] [Bridge] I called my home a cage of dust and shame Chased a lie that wore a golden name They poured me wine from a poisoned cup While the world outside was waking up You can check in when your hope runs dry But you can never leave this lie [Final Chorus] Welcome to the Isle of Evergreen Where the sun never rises, never seen Tiny ghosts still haunt the endless green In the marble halls where the silence screams Silk gowns rot on the broken string "This is my end," I whisper, sing [Outro] Here I rest forever in this gilded frame Where the moon hangs high, no dawn will claim But my eyes lie buried in the clay For the dawn that breaks on the eastern bay