The Weight of Chains

Weathered Pine

Old Man Ong

Weathered Pine

Appalachian bluegrass, electronic

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Not the shopkeep.
Not the old man.
Not the face I've shown to you.
My name is Ong.
Beyond that glass,
There's someone I must get back to.

[Chorus]
Every whisper grew a legend.
Every legend fed the flame.
Every frightened soul who told it
Made the doorway
Breathe again.
Every page became a lifetime.
Every fear became a key.
Every tale I kept them telling
Brought my world
Closer to me.

[Verse 2]
Long before this weathered hat,
I crossed from world to world.
Then men with wires and borrowed notes
Found where the edges curled.
They built this frame in seventy-something,
Thought the glass obeyed their hand.
They never knew the one among them
Was the reason it could stand.

They shut the lab.
The crossing closed.
I couldn't leave this place.
The years wore through the strength I had
And carved this borrowed face.
One year beneath your sun can mean
A thousand where I'm from.
And all that time, beyond my reach,
My daughter waited on.

[Verse 3]
The key you hold can feed this frame
And tell it where to go.
Without it, I could cross the years,
But not the way back home.
A thousand worlds beyond the glass,
And only one was mine.
I couldn't risk her waiting there
While I went searching blind.

So stories took the place of power.
Belief could feed the flame.
I bound their tellers to the mirror,
Sent fear back through the frame.
The captain took my key and vanished.
I couldn't trace his course.
I needed someone he would trust.
I needed living force.

[Verse 4]
Yes, I made you the Jersey Devil.
Yes, I bent the roads you knew.
Sent you backward through the mirror,
Made their history out of you.
Every scream became a telling.
Every telling made it last.
You were living through the stories
They'd already called the past.

And yes, I chose the girl who read them.
Put the pages in her hands.
Had them draw you worn and lonely,
Someone she might understand.
She'd ask why no one saw the sorrow.
She'd follow where it led.
I sent you there to frighten her.
I knew where she would tread.

[Bridge]
Ghost Lake never needed making.
Jenny's fall was in the tale.
That doesn't wash my hands of sending
You along that mountain trail.
In death, she'd see another prisoner.
She'd help you reach the sea.
And Kidd would see himself before him
When you asked him for the key.

I couldn't make her want to help you.
Couldn't make the captain give.
I made you someone they'd take pity on.
You still had a life to live.
You thought I'd lost you in the water.
Thought I'd lost you on the sand.
I watched you carry both their kindness
All the way back to my hand.

[Verse 5]
You think I did this just for freedom.
Maybe once, that was enough.
But my daughter waits beyond that mirror.
Something mine.
Someone I love.
Akida.
Still within her shell,
With no one there to set her free.
I watch her light grow faint through silver.
She is waiting there for me.

You see the years I stole from you.
I see the time she's spent alone.
I cannot cross an empty doorway.
I cannot leave her on her own.
So yes, I used you.
Yes, I damned you.
Yes, I made you wear those chains.
I won't ask you to forgive me.
I must reach her just the same.

[Final Chorus]
Every whisper grew a legend.
Every legend fed the flame.
Every frightened soul who told it
Made the doorway
Breathe again.
Every page became a lifetime.
Every fear became a key.
Every tale I kept them telling
Brought my child
Closer to me.

[Outro]
Keep your fingers on it, son.
You've every right to doubt.
You want your life.
I want my daughter.
Neither gets it walking out.

I've told you what I've done to you.
I've told you what it's for.
Now let me try to end your story
Where mine began:
That door.

4163/7500

[Verse 1] Please, pull up that old chair. You've earned the truth tonight. You crossed the years I sent you through And somehow learned to fight. You want your life. I want that key. So neither needs pretend. But hear me out before you ask How all of this will end. Not the shopkeep. Not the old man. Not the face I've shown to you. My name is Ong. Beyond that glass, There's someone I must get back to. [Chorus] Every whisper grew a legend. Every legend fed the flame. Every frightened soul who told it Made the doorway Breathe again. Every page became a lifetime. Every fear became a key. Every tale I kept them telling Brought my world Closer to me. [Verse 2] Long before this weathered hat, I crossed from world to world. Then men with wires and borrowed notes Found where the edges curled. They built this frame in seventy-something, Thought the glass obeyed their hand. They never knew the one among them Was the reason it could stand. They shut the lab. The crossing closed. I couldn't leave this place. The years wore through the strength I had And carved this borrowed face. One year beneath your sun can mean A thousand where I'm from. And all that time, beyond my reach, My daughter waited on. [Verse 3] The key you hold can feed this frame And tell it where to go. Without it, I could cross the years, But not the way back home. A thousand worlds beyond the glass, And only one was mine. I couldn't risk her waiting there While I went searching blind. So stories took the place of power. Belief could feed the flame. I bound their tellers to the mirror, Sent fear back through the frame. The captain took my key and vanished. I couldn't trace his course. I needed someone he would trust. I needed living force. [Chorus] Every whisper grew a legend. Every legend fed the flame. Every frightened soul who told it Made the doorway Breathe again. Every page became a lifetime. Every fear became a key. Every tale I kept them telling Brought my world Closer to me. [Verse 4] Yes, I made you the Jersey Devil. Yes, I bent the roads you knew. Sent you backward through the mirror, Made their history out of you. Every scream became a telling. Every telling made it last. You were living through the stories They'd already called the past. And yes, I chose the girl who read them. Put the pages in her hands. Had them draw you worn and lonely, Someone she might understand. She'd ask why no one saw the sorrow. She'd follow where it led. I sent you there to frighten her. I knew where she would tread. [Bridge] Ghost Lake never needed making. Jenny's fall was in the tale. That doesn't wash my hands of sending You along that mountain trail. In death, she'd see another prisoner. She'd help you reach the sea. And Kidd would see himself before him When you asked him for the key. I couldn't make her want to help you. Couldn't make the captain give. I made you someone they'd take pity on. You still had a life to live. You thought I'd lost you in the water. Thought I'd lost you on the sand. I watched you carry both their kindness All the way back to my hand. [Verse 5] You think I did this just for freedom. Maybe once, that was enough. But my daughter waits beyond that mirror. Something mine. Someone I love. Akida. Still within her shell, With no one there to set her free. I watch her light grow faint through silver. She is waiting there for me. You see the years I stole from you. I see the time she's spent alone. I cannot cross an empty doorway. I cannot leave her on her own. So yes, I used you. Yes, I damned you. Yes, I made you wear those chains. I won't ask you to forgive me. I must reach her just the same. [Final Chorus] Every whisper grew a legend. Every legend fed the flame. Every frightened soul who told it Made the doorway Breathe again. Every page became a lifetime. Every fear became a key. Every tale I kept them telling Brought my child Closer to me. [Outro] Keep your fingers on it, son. You've every right to doubt. You want your life. I want my daughter. Neither gets it walking out. I've told you what I've done to you. I've told you what it's for. Now let me try to end your story Where mine began: That door.

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