I reached the river with my hands full of the dead Every promise I broke, every lie I ever said Charon don't want your story, don't care about your name Just holds his palm out flat and asks you what you came to pay I gave him nights I disappeared, I gave him who I was Gave him the man who chose the work over the ones he loved Dropped it in his hand like coins I'd carried way too long Felt the weight lift off my chest before he pushed us on Ferryman, ferryman, here's what I owe Take the dead, I'll take the debt, I'm ready now to go River's wide but I can see the other side from here Paid the fare in blood and years—I'm finally clear Nine songs down and I can name the ghosts I've met Oracle took my certainty, Nemesis took the bet Sisyphus taught me how to push when there's no peak in sight Now I'm standing at the crossing between the dark and light You want the pride? Take the pride. You want the shame? It's yours. Every mask I ever wore is scattered on these shores I'm not the man who started this, who stumbled through the gate I'm what's left when you burn the rest—that's the trade Ferryman, ferryman, here's what I owe Take the dead, I'll take the debt, I'm ready now to go River's wide but I can see the other side from here Paid the fare in blood and years—I'm finally clear My kids don't need a ghost, my wife don't need a myth She needs the man who's present, not the man who wasn't this That's not what Charon's owed—that's what I owe to them Cross the river, climb the bank, learn to live again Ferryman, ferryman, here's what I owe Take the dead, I'll take the debt, I'm ready now to go River's wide but I can see the other side from here Paid the fare in blood and years—I'm finally clear So here's the coin, the last of what I carried from below Every echo, every scar, every underworld I know Ten tracks deep, I walked through hell and came out something new Charon, push off from the shore—I paid the ferryman his due River behind me now Stone and soul intact I walked into the underworld I ain't ever going back
