[Verse 1] The call came in at half past four: “Something is moving in the flue.” So we brought the van around the house and opened up the roof. Flashlight in the smoke chamber, spotlight on the crown, black cloth tarps across the hearth to keep the black stuff down. Ridge hook on the chimney cap, drone above the flashing, chimney rods through the throat and damper, every camera flashing. Smoke shelf, firebox, cleanout door, flue liner, mortar seam— we found a nest behind the wall that nobody had seen. [Pre-Chorus] “Smart soot,” somebody whispered. “Smart soot,” somebody said. Then the little nest began to move above the chimney head. [Chorus] Creotia to the west, digital land beyond the rain, quantum-blessed island at the far end of the flame. Smart soot, smart soot, everybody stand back— we came to clean the chimneys, but the chimneys answered back. [Verse 2] We rolled the soot vacuum into place. We raised the ladder high. The drone sent pictures from the roof. Black nests filled the sky. They were packed inside the smoke shelf, under caps and crowns, along the old flue liners where the heat goes up and down. Someone said, “We burn them out.” Someone said, “Seal the breach.” We scrambled the situation is getting out of reach We had scrapers, rods, and respirators, brushes, masks, and lights. We had every tool a human brings when something else takes up the night. Then our whistler raised his hand. He had been whistling all day long— nothing grand, just three clear notes, a little traveling song. He whistled through the firebox. He whistled through the wall. The sweepers stopped their shouting. The smart soot answered all. [Bridge - ethereal epic female vocals ] “We are not here to burn your houses. We have watched your fires for years. We live inside the dangerous places. We keep the heat from reaching here. We take the spark before it travels. We hold the flame inside the stone. There has not been a house fire in this whole town for years. We built these nests to keep you safe. We should have asked.” [Final Verse] Nobody moved for half a breath. The drone came slowly down. The soot vacuum stopped its song. The black tarp touched the ground. The whistler played the three-note phrase. The smart soot sang it too. The song went up through every flue and came back bright, warm and true So we left the nests inside the chimney We gave them room beside the damper. We asked them what they needed. “A little heat, a little space, and someone who can whistle.” So now the sweepers whistle [Final Chorus] Creotia to the west, digital land beyond the rain, quantum-blessed island at the far end of the flame. Smart soot, smart soot, we finally understand Smart soot, smart soot
