[Verse 1] Boot heels strike the courthouse stone Names are read, then sent away A mother folds a borrowed coat And counts the trains that leave today [Pre-Chorus] No bright promise, no parade Just a bell beneath the smoke Every order leaves a mark Every silence bears the weight [Chorus] Hold the line, but question why Raise your voice before they choose Hands are clean in distant rooms While the young are made to lose Hold the line, but question why Let the buried answer through [Verse 2] A ration card, a paper flag Pinned beside a child's old shoe The radio repeats the speech As if repetition makes it true [Bridge] Brass cuts hard across the square Dust kicks up around the signs One more step becomes a wall One more word can change the time [Chorus] Hold the line, but question why Raise your voice before they choose Hands are clean in distant rooms While the young are made to lose Hold the line, but question why Let the buried answer through [Outro] When the drums fall out of time When the banners lose their red Keep the names inside your mouth Keep the living from the dead
