Verse 1 We were raised on the edge of the shouting world, Where every answer comes wrapped in a fist. But we learned another way to stand our ground— In listening first, in refusing the list Of enemies handed down like law, Of lines that say them instead of all. Pre-Chorus From river bend to broken street, Every heart still skips the same slow beat. Chorus We heal, we guard, we stand as one, Branches woven toward the sun. Peace is a blade we choose to wield— Love is the shield that never yields. Verse 2 I’ve seen rage burn bright as a signal flare, Calling wolves to the edge of the night. But I’ve seen hands reach through the smoke, Pulling strangers back into the light. It takes more strength to stay your hand Than to let the world turn you feral again. Pre-Chorus Every wound the Earth remembers well, Every kindness rings like a bell. Chorus We heal, we guard, we stand as one, Roots run deep where the rivers run. Peace is a blade we choose to wield— Love is the shield that never yields. Bridge (Soft, Call-and-Response Feel) Lead: Lay down the stone, lay down the knife, Harmony: Lay them down. Lead: No one wins an endless fight, Harmony: Turn around. All: If the world must change tonight, Let it start with how we choose our lives. Verse 3 They call us naïve, say hope won’t hold, Say mercy breaks before the storm. But we’ve stood unarmed between the claws, And walked away still standing warm. Peace isn’t quiet, peace is brave— It steps between the blow and the grave. Build Chorus (Layered Harmonies) We heal, we guard, we stand as one, Every shadow, every son. Peace is a blade we choose to wield— Love is the shield that never yields. Outro (Gentle, Repeating Mantra) So when the night asks what you’ll be, A spark of war or a living tree, Say: I choose the path that lets us live, Say: I give the love I wish to give. We heal. We guard. We stand as one.
