Old signpost in the mossy clay Reads population zero today Metal rusted, a tattered cloak Kneeling down in the ash and smoke Among the gears and the broken stone A quiet traveler all alone I see a skull in the muddy ground The silent ghost of a forgotten town Established back in forty-seven But the towers fell from their artificial heaven Yet in my hand, a spark of green The softest thing I've ever seen Oh, the City of Ashen is cold and still But a single sprout breaks the winter's chill Through the iron bones and the concrete grey Life finds a path, life finds a way I'll guard this leaf from the falling rain Until the heartbeat returns again A gentle warmth in my copper chest An ancient program put to the test To nurture growth in a world of rust To raise a garden out of the dust My glowing eyes watch the seedling grow In the quiet ruins of the long ago Oh, the City of Ashen is cold and still But a single sprout breaks the winter's chill Through the iron bones and the concrete grey Life finds a path, life finds a way I'll guard this leaf from the falling rain Until the heartbeat returns again City of Ashen... Population one...
