The Place Beneath My Name

[Intro — whispered] Inhale the silence Let the old dust fall A quiet river Moves beneath it all [Verse 1] Salt on the window Rain along the stone I carry a small ember That remembers home Hands on the soil Warmth under the clay Something without a language Teaches me the way [Pre-Chorus] Open the door within Let the stillness enter Every fragile breath Turns the night to center [Chorus — layered mantra] I return, I return To the place beneath my name I return, I return Through the water and the flame Hold me, living earth Keep my heart awake I return, I return For every vow we make [Post-Chorus — choir] Within the river Within the stone Within the breathing world I am not alone [Verse 2] Far beyond the rooftops Clouds divide and mend A silver bird is circling Where the dry fields end Underneath the thunder Roots refuse to flee What I thought was distant Has been carrying me [Bridge — whispered male spoken phrases] Listen to the ground It keeps no borrowed names Follow the water inward Nothing living stays the same [Instrumental interlude] [Final Chorus — bigger, layered] I return, I return To the place beneath my name I return, I return Through the water and the flame Hold me, living earth Keep my heart awake I return, I return For every vow we make [Outro — fading] Stillness in the breathing world Warmth beneath the stone I return… I return… Not alone…