6. The Burning Lake

Section I — The Shore (0:00–1:10) (near-silent, one low synth note, whispered) I found the lake by following the heat I didn't know the water could be burning I didn't know that I could stand this close I didn't know I'd spent my life learning to turn away from fire Section II — Approach (1:10–2:30) (instruments begin to gather) There is a beauty in the burning that I've been afraid to name The surface of impossible things looks a lot like flame I've been so careful I've been so careful I've been so careful not to want too much (vocals begin to rise) The lake is burning and I am standing at the edge The lake is burning and I have stepped off every ledge I thought I'd never cross — the burning lake is mine the burning lake is mine to lose Section III — Immersion (2:30–4:00) (full band, peak intensity) I went in I went in I went in anyway I went in I went in the burning didn't kill me it just changed the shape of me it just changed the shape The water was the wanting The fire was the grief The burning lake was everything I'd swallowed for relief I let it take me I let it take me under I let it take me under and I stayed (crescendo — full noise, vocals at maximum intensity) I STAYED I STAYED I STAYED Section IV — Submersion (4:00–5:10) (sudden silence, then eerie calm, just voice and faint drone) (spoken, softly, as if surfacing) The lake doesn't burn forever. It just burns until you stop fighting it. (long pause) I've been fighting it for a long time. Section V — The Other Shore (5:10–6:14) (slow, hymn-like, gentle) On the other side of burning there is somewhere I have not been On the other side of the lake there is a version of me that went in and came out different not clean not whole but changed and still here and still here (fade to silence)