Original Sin (LOTR)

Copyright © 2026 Robert Betzold. All Rights Reserved. Evil lingered inside, product of original sin A dormant fire waiting for fuel to rise within [soft dissonant pad swell] A spark of curiosity’s flair Consumed the good that used to live there Self-desire ate the mind the way fire eats wood Envious greed the oxygen that fed the rage for good [808 grows heavier, sparse quiet high-hats enter] Mind split in two as the demon came of age Fight for the light of the eternal soul engaged A dark pit formed where the fire first began to glow He wants it so bad he can hardly let it go The anger inside that’s so hard to explain Choking on sins as he’s, cough, coughing out his name Original Sin, the ember inside Once it takes hold, nowhere to hide Obsession with precious things Walls built of lies in an elaborate ring Possession, the source of his pride Growing self-doubt deep inside False gods distort Unchecked Rage Consumes Internal arguments between the selves in him One moment of weakness was all the dark needed to win It told him what he had to do in that moment of doubt “shut up, shut up, shut up” he tried to shout Hands clamped on his ears, trying to block it out Temptation won the same way it took Cain and Abel Mind permanently split, left mentally unstable Embers still glow as the guilt inside continues to grow You can’t hide from the mind’s eye that already knows Crushing you under the weight of its vision Making excuses for the sin only feeds the derision Unredeemed, twisted, bent, hollowed-out eyes What happens to a body that lives inside its own lies Envious destruction written across the face Passionate possession filling every mental space Eyes bulging and round, glowing without a spark Seeking the precious, always lurking in the dark Spent so long alone he forgot how to be Lost the precious still to one wittier than he Time passed, the rage built, the plans took form Evil was on the march while men prepared for the storm He still had a part that he was forced to play Reluctantly guiding them along the way Pulled by the hunger for precious things A flash of kindness, a small internal hope springs [hope undercut – pad filters down, cold reverse swell] Old friendships and distrust closed that opening fast Eyes above, eyes near, and eyes within still watching “Can’t trust them,” the ones traveling with him “They want it for themselves,” the voice rises from within The struggle of the two halves starts again Internal fight for good and evil begins He rejects the hand of mercy, thoughts return to sin A dastardly plan forms in the dark of his mind Agreement is reached: let the dark side win Unrepentant and bent, he rips it with bare teeth That final act of selfishness rising from underneath The evil inside directed to a providential purpose Clinging to envious greed ends nothing like he intended His purpose fulfilled becomes his tragic end