On This Scarred Illinois Hill (track 3 in my post-apocalyptic story)

[(Verse 1] Dust devils dance on the highway bones Thornton’s hands bleed on the tractor’s groans Same fields that drank his old man’s rage Now grow defiance, row by row, like turning a page Howard’s beside him, shotgun-slung and lean Two brothers guarding what the ashes mean [Chorus] We break the earth where the poison rains fell Planting tomorrow in this concrete shithole Yeah, we’re building something the fire couldn’t kill On this scarred Illinois hill [Verse 2] Then she came with eyes like storm-chased gray Found her fixing fences on a rusted highway Her laugh cut through the rad-winds’ moan Made that farmhouse feel like a hearthstone Six winters later, Ralph’s first cry rang clear A new world’s heartbeat in a dead world’s ear [Bridge] Ten summers watching corn grow tall and green While the old world’s ghosts faded from the scene But fever rode in on a pale horse’s breath Left Thornton whispering to the hollows of death Just a faded dress hanging empty and still On this scarred Illinois hill [Guitar Solo] [Verse 3] Now Ralph’s hands grip the splintered plow While Thornton stares at the almanac now Sees her face in the rainfall’s smear Hears her voice in the wheat’s low cheer Howard just nods at the unmarked grave "Some roots run deeper than the dust we save" [Outro Chorus] We break the earth where the poison rains fell Planting tomorrow in this concrete rathole Yeah, we’re building something the fire couldn’t kill With every seed, with every scar, with every will On this scarred Illinois hill. [guitar solo]