[Chorus] I wore the white till it tore through my skin Gave them my heart, let the cold get in Now I walk where the righteous fear to tread Good man died, but the dark raised his head Bring the pain, I can carry the weight No more mercy at the mouth of the gate I gave my soul to the side they condemn If the light made me bleed, let the darkness begin [Verse 1] I kept a clean name in a dirty town Held doors for hands that would hold me down Took every blame just to keep peace alive While the ones I protected learned how to survive They called when the fire reached their front porch Never asked who was freezing by my own door I stitched up trust with a needle of thread Then watched it unravel beside my bed Every promise came back with a sharpened edge Every prayer left me close to the ledge I was the shield, I was easy to use Till the shield cracked open and gave me the bruise [Pre-Chorus] Now the halo is rust on a broken chain I remember each hand that applauded my pain No more turning the other cheek for the blade I found a home in the choices they made [Chorus] I wore the white till it tore through my skin Gave them my heart, let the cold get in Now I walk where the righteous fear to tread Good man died, but the dark raised his head Bring the pain, I can carry the weight No more mercy at the mouth of the gate I gave my soul to the side they condemn If the light made me bleed, let the darkness begin [Verse 2] I know the sound of a room going still When your last good reason bends to your will I know the taste of a favor unpaid And the look in the eyes of the friend you saved They wanted a saint with a fist full of scars Someone to lose while they counted the cars I gave them my years, my sleep, my name They handed back silence and called it a game So I buried the boy who believed every vow He was soft in the places I sharpened by now There is no clean road from the place I have been But the dirt feels honest beneath my skin [Bridge] I am not proud of the shape I became But I know who was feeding the flame Every wound left a door in the wall Every door led me back from the fall If the dark is the cost of remaining alive Then I choose it with both hands tonight [Final Chorus] I wore the white till it tore through my skin Gave them my heart, let the cold get in Now I walk where the righteous fear to tread Good man died, but the dark raised his head Bring the pain, I can carry the weight No more mercy at the mouth of the gate I gave my soul to the side they condemn If the light made me bleed, let the darkness begin [Outro] No halo left, no debt to repay I learned what the good ones throw away If you meet me where the daylight ends Do not ask me to be that man again
