SAVATAGE - THE BACKBONE STORY OF THE WAKE OF MAGELAN - THE STORM

   There are only a few times that an artist or a band, can reach such high levels of artistic expression.

I feel really blessed to have grown with such state of the art milestones in poetry and music. A big part of myself and my personality as a grown up, thinking human being, is due to masterpieces like this one.
I wanted to write something about this masterpiece... but what is there to write more? This is one of the nicest stories ever told in a record and it is based in real life facts. This is it, this is the moment when art imitates life!

Awaken the spirit of Magellan...

WHEN THE NIGHT WILL GATHER DARKNESS
AND BLACK CLOUDS UNADORNED
ONLY POETS, DREAMS AND MADMEN
WILL SAIL OUT INTO THE STORM

HIS LIFE WAS NEARLY OVER
AS HE STOOD UPON THE BEACH
THINKING ABOUT DEATH AND THE OCEAN
WHILE STILL SAFELY OUT OF REACH

AND HE HELD THERE IN HIS HAND
A WELL WORN HOURGLASS
AND THOUGH THE SAND WAS STILL INSIDE
SOON THIS TOO WOULD PASS

THEN HE KNELT TO TOUCH THE WATER
WHERE THE WAVES WOULD GENTLY FALL
THINKING HERE I TOUCH THE OCEAN
AND THE OCEAN TOUCHES ALL

FOR FROM A LINE OF COUNTLESS SAILORS
HE WAS THE LAST MAN OF HIS KIND
AND THE WORLD HAD CHANGED AROUND HIM
HE HAD NO MOUNTAINS LEFT TO CLIMB 

AND HIS LAST NAME WAS MAGELLAN
A DESCENDANT OF THE SAME 
OR SO HE SAID IN LATE NIGHT BARS 
THOUGH FEW BELIEVED HIS CLAIM

AND SO HE NOW TALKED WITH THE OCEAN
AS HE HAD OFTEN DONE BEFORE
BUT NOW THE WAVES SPOKE BACK TO HIM
AS HE WALKED ALONG THE SHORE

FOR EIGHTY YEARS PLUS SEVEN
HE HAD BEEN UPON THIS EARTH
AND ALL OF THEM BUT EIGHT
HE'D SPENT ON THAT OCEAN SINCE HIS BIRTH

BUT HE WAS NOT THE ONLY ONE
WHO WALKED ALONG THIS COAST
THERE WAS A LADY OLD AND PALE
TO SOME NEARLY A GHOST

SHE HAD ONCE BEEN A GREAT BEAUTY
IT WAS RUMORED IN SOME BARS
WHEN SHE'D LEFT HERE MANY YEARS BEFORE
TO BECOME A MOVIE STAR

BUT EVERY WISH IS NOT TO BE
AHH THIS IN TIME SHE LEARNED
AND WHEN HER FINAL CHANCE HAD PASSED
BACK HERE SHE HAD RETURNED

AND EVERYDAY AT SIX O'CLOCK 
SHE CAME TO A SMALL CAFE
AND HAD HERSELF A GLASS OF WINE
AND THEN SHE'D WALK AWAY

TO OTHERS SHE WAS GRAY AND OLD
NOT THE BEAUTY SHE'D BEEN BEFORE
BUT IT DID NOT MATTER WHAT SHE WAS
WHAT MATTERED WAS WHAT HE SAW

AND SO FOR NEAR THREE YEARS NOW
HE'D WATCH HER EVERYDAY
AND THOUGH THEY ALWAYS WERE SO CLOSE
HE FELT SO FAR AWAY

FOR HE COULD NEVER QUITE ARRANGE 
THE WORDS INSIDE HIS MIND
THAT HE COULD SAY TO MAKE HER STAY
AND HE WAS RUNNING OUT OF TIME

HE COULD NOT FIND THE WORDS TO SAY
TO SUCH A WORK OF DREAMS
AND SO HE WATCHED HER WALK AWAY
AND ALWAYS STAYED UNSEEN

SO HE NOW TURNED TO THE OCEAN
SAYING IT WAS NEVER MEANT TO BE
AND THE OCEAN NEVER SAID A WORD
THOUGH IN TRUTH SHE DISAGREED

AND ON THE SAND BEFORE HIM
WHILE THE WAVES BROKE GENTLY WHITE
THE OCEAN LISTENED CAREFULLY
AS HE TOLD HER OF HIS LIFE

I HAVE BEEN AROUND THE WORLD
I'VE PURSUED THE MOON IN FLIGHT
I HAVE READ THE WORDS OF SHAKESPEARE
BY A MIDNIGHT ARCTIC LIGHT

I HAVE RUN BETWEEN THE DRAGON'S TEETH
AND LIVED TO TELL THE TAIL
I HAVE DANCED ACROSS A STARDUST SKY
AND NEVER LEFT A TRAIL



I'VE SEEN THINGS FEW COULD IMAGINE
AND I NEVER WILL FORGET
BUT I'VE NEVER HAD A FAMILY
AND THIS I DO REGRET

NOW ALL I'VE LOVED HAVE GONE BEFORE ME
AND OF THE FUTURE I HAVE GREAT DOUBTS
AND THOUGH IT SEEMS I STILL HAVE TIME LEFT
I NOW FEEL TIME I CAN DO WITHOUT

AND I HAVE WONDERED TO MYSELF
WHY SHOULD DEATH SET ITS OWN TIME
IS IT JUST A FINAL JEST FROM FATE
TO ADD ONTO HER OTHER CRIMES?

FOR I HAVE NO WISH TO WAIT AROUND
WHILE ALL MY SENSES FADE
AND ONE BY ONE RETURN THE GIFTS
THAT YOUTH SO FREELY GAVE

WIRED TO SOME COLD MACHINE
THAT MAPS MY EVERY BREATH
AND SIGNALS AT THE PROPER TIME
LESS THEY SHOULD MISS MY DEATH

AND ALL THIS SERVICE I SUSPECT
IS LESS DONE BY GOODWILL
THAN BY THE FEAR THAT THEY SHOULD MISS
A FINAL CHANCE TO BILL

SO I'VE DECIDED TO LEAVE THIS WORLD
AND HAVE DEVISED A PLAN
TO SAIL TO SEA IN A SMALL BOAT
WELL OUT OF SIGHT OF LAND



TO SAIL ONCE MORE UPON THE DEEP
LIKE A VIKING TO HIS RESTING PLACE
THEN SLIP FOREVER NEATH THE WAVES
AN EXIT WITH SOME GRACE

AND THE SHIP SHALL BE MY COFFIN
ON THIS LAST VOYAGE THAT I TAKE
AND MY TRAIL LEFT THROUGH THE WATER
WILL BE MY FINAL WAKE

I HAVE DONE MORE THAN THOUGHT ABOUT THIS
ON MY LIFE I'VE CLOSED EVERY DOOR
I HAVE LEFT A WILL BESIDE MY BED
AND THE BOAT IS THERE OFFSHORE

AND ALL I ASK IS YOUR ASSISTANCE
WHEN THAT SHIP IS WELL AWAY FROM THE LAND
THAT YOU SEND A STORM TO EMBRACE US
AND TAKE US GENTLY IN YOUR HAND

WHEN HE HAD FINISHED SPEAKING
SOME POINTS THE OCEAN DID CONCEDE
BUT WHEN HE SAID HIS FINAL WORD
SHE ONCE MORE DISAGREED

I'LL THINK ABOUT THIS IF I MAY
I NEED NOT RUSH THE TIDE
FOR IN THIS WORLD OF TOO LITTLE TIME
THERE'S ALWAYS TIME TO DIE

YOU SEEM SO EAGER TO END THIS LIFE
AND WITH YOUR DEATH TO DANCE
THAT YOU IGNORED HIS PUTRID BREATH



NOW PERFUMED WITH ROMANCE

THE SAILOR SAID YOU CANNOT UNDERSTAND
THE NEEDS OR WANTS OF MEN
SO I'LL ASK YOU ONCE MORE FOR YOUR HELP
AND I SHALL NOT ASK AGAIN

THEN THE OCEAN PULLED HER WAVES BACK
AND BECKONED HIM STAND NEAR
AND WHEN HE HAD STEPPED CLOSER
SHE WHISPERED IN HIS EAR

THAT EVERY MAN
IS BORN YOU SEE
BENEATH THE SWORD
DAMOCLES

FOR YOUNG AND OLD
ARE ALL ALIVE
ON THAT NEXT BEAT
ON WHICH WE RIDE

AND THAT BEAT IS SUCH
A FRAGILE THING
IN BOTH OLD MEN
OR YOUTHFUL KING

AND THAT BEAT 
STANDS ALL ALONE YOU SEE
BETWEEN US 
AND BLACK ETERNITY

AND THOUGH DEATH IS SURELY 
EACH MAN'S FATE



UNTIL THAT TIME 
LET EACH MAN WAIT

SO BE CAREFUL AS YOU GO THROUGH LIFE
WHAT YOU ROMANTICIZE
I FIND SUCH THINGS ARE RARELY TRUE
AND FAR MORE RARELY WISE

THE SAILOR THEN LISTENED CAREFULLY
AND EVERY THOUGHT WAS FILED
AND THOUGH HE WAS STILL NOT QUITE CONVINCED
HE AGREED TO WAIT AWHILE

AND MEANWHILE FURTHER DOWN THE BEACH
THERE STOOD A YOUNGER MAN
AND HE TOO FELT THE SAND OF TIME
WAS RUNNING THROUGH HIS HANDS

BUT THIS YOUTH FELT THEY RAN TOO FAST
AS HE STOOD NEAR A RUSTING DOCK
AND HEARD THE WAVES MARKING TIME
LIKE SOME RELENTLESS CLOCK

HE FELT HIS FUTURE WAS NOT HERE
OF THIS HE HAD NO DOUBT 
AND EVEN THOUGH HE WAS EIGHTEEN
HIS TIME WAS RUNNING OUT

NOW HIS THOUGHTS GAVE WAY TO ANGER
AND HE LOUDLY CURSED AT FATE
THAT IN A WORLD OF OPPORTUNITIES
THAT HE WAS DOOMED TO WAIT

THAT HIS LIFE COULD BE PREDESTINED



TO BE STUCK HERE ON THIS SHORE
HE COULD NOT MAKE HIMSELF BELIEVE
THAT THERE WAS NOTHING MORE

AND AS HE STOOD THERE CURSING FATE
FOR MAKING LIFE SO HARD
IT SEEMED THAT FATE HAD LISTENED
FOR SHE DEALT ANOTHER CARD

FOR ARRIVING IN THE HARBOUR
SILHOUETTED AGAINST THE SKY
WAS A SHIP BOUND FOR AMERICA
AND HER NAME, "MAERSK DUBAI"

AND SO WHEN NO ONE ELSE WAS LOOKING
AND THE SHIP WAS SAFELY MOORED
HE WAITED FOR HIS MOMENT
THEN HE QUICKLY SNUCK ON BOARD

THEN HE FOUND HIMSELF A HIDING PLACE
BETWEEN TWO CRATES OF IRON WARE
AND AS FOR DISTANT AMERICA
IN HIS MIND HE WAS ALREADY THERE

BUT WHAT HE WAS UNAWARE OF
AS THEY SAILED AWAY FROM SHORE
WAS THAT THERE WERE OTHER STOWAWAYS
AND HE WAS ONE OF FOUR

AND MEANWHILE THE OLD SAILOR
HAD WALKED RIGHT PAST THAT PIER
WHILE STILL CONVERSING WITH THE OCEAN
ON THE STRENGTHS OF HIS IDEA

AND AS HE WALKED HE CAME UPON



A YOUTH HE THOUGHT ASLEEP
BUT THE OCEAN SAID THAT HE WAS NOT
AND BRUSHED A WAVE AGAINST HIS FEET

AND WHEN THE YOUNG MAN DIDN'T STIR
BUT LAY QUITE STILL INSTEAD
THE SAILOR TOOK A CLOSER LOOK
AND SAW THAT HE WAS DEAD

AND ALL AROUND THE BODY
WAS SOMETHING HE HAD NEVER SEEN
LITTLE CELLOPHANE PACKAGES
MARKED "BLACKJACK GUILLOTINE"

AND SO HE ASKED THE OCEAN
WHAT THESE STRANGE PACKETS WERE
AND SHE ANSWERED THEY HELD THE HEROIN
THAT IN HIS BLOOD THE YOUTH HAD STIRRED 

AND IT IS CERTAINLY A SIGN
THAT THINGS HAVE GOTTEN OUT OF HAND
WHEN ONE CAN PURCHASE ONES OWN DEATH
AND CHOOSE IT BY THE BRAND

THE SAILOR ASKED HOW SO YOUNG A MAN
COULD HAVE FALLEN INTO SUCH A TRAP
AND THE OCEAN SAID THE FIRST TIME WAS WITH A FRIEND
WHO NOW CAN'T TAKE IT BACK

IT WAS A FRIENDLY GESTURE
AS THEY ALL CLAIM AT THE TIME
WHEN THAT FRIEND OR KINDLY STRANGER
FREE OF CHARGE GAVE HIM HIS FIRST LINE



TO HARM THIS BOY THEY'RE SURE TO SAY
WAS NEVER OUR INTENT
AND WE WERE AS SHOCKED AS ANYONE
WITH JUST HOW FAR HE WENT

HE NEVER THOUGHT IT DANGEROUS
AS HE STUCK IT IN HIS VEIN
THAT A NEEDLE THAT HAD SEEMED SO SHORT
COULD REACH STRAIGHT INTO HIS BRAIN

IT WAS UPON THIS VERY BEACH
THAT HIS FIRST LINE WAS TRIED
AND WHO'D HAVE THOUGHT WAY BACK THEN
THAT HERE IS WHERE HE'D DIE

IF THESE WORDS SEEM REPETITIOUS
AND THE SUBJECT BEATEN DEAD
THE REASON THAT I STILL SAY IT
IS IT STILL NEEDS TO BE SAID

THEN THE SAILOR PICKED A COAT UP
THAT HAD BEEN LAYING THERE
AND PLACED IT OVER THE BODY
AND THEN HE SAID A LITTLE PRAYER

AND THE OCEAN BROUGHT IN ON A WAVE 
AN OLD WATERLOGGED WREATH 
AND PUSHED IT UP ALONG THE SAND 
TILL IT TOUCHED THE DEAD MAN'S FEET

AND WRITTEN ON THAT WREATH 
IN LETTERS OF GOLD FOIL
WAS THE NAME VERONICA GUERIN
BUT THE LETTERS WERE BENT AND SOILED



THE SAILOR SAID I SEE THESE FLOWERS
THAT YOU SO KINDLY GAVE
ARE OBVIOUSLY FROM FAR AWAY
AND FROM ANOTHER'S GRAVE

AND I CANNOT HELP BUT TO THINK
THE SAILOR GENTLY SAID
THAT IT'S UNWISE IN GOD EYES
TO STEAL FLOWERS FROM THE DEAD

THE OCEAN SAID PLEASE TRUST ME FRIEND
THIS GIFT WILL CAUSE NO PAIN
AND THE PERSON TO WHOM THEY ONCE BELONGED
WOULD SURELY SAY THE SAME

YOU SEE THIS WREATH WAS FROM THE FUNERAL
OF A WOMAN WHO SHOWED NO FEAR
OF MEN WHO LIVED IN MANSIONS
BOUGHT WITH OTHER PEOPLE'S TEARS

OF MEN WHO LIVED IN MANSIONS
BOUGHT WITH BITS OF OTHERS LIVES
WHO AT NIGHT STILL HUGGED THEIR CHILDREN
AND BROUGHT GIFTS HOME TO THEIR WIVES

WITH MONEY MADE FROM HEROIN
AND PACKETS OF COCAINE
AND IF A BUYER OVERDOSED
THEY NEVER FELT THE PAIN

THERE WERE MANY FLOWERS AT HER FUNERAL
BUT NONE FOR THIS BOY I FEAR
SO THE WIND HAS BLOWN THIS WREATH TO ME
AND I HAVE BROUGHT IT HERE



SHE GAVE HER LIFE TO STOP THE SPREAD
OF DRUGS AMONG HER KIND
AND IF WE LEAVE THESE FLOWERS FOR THIS BOY
I'M SURE SHE WOULDN'T MIND

THEN THE SAILOR TURNED AROUND
AND WALKED BACK ALONG THE BEACH
TOWARDS THE BOAT ANCHORED OFFSHORE
FOR HIS DECISION HAD BEEN REACHED

HE THEN SAT DOWN ON THE SAND
THINKING OF ALL HE’D SEEN THAT DAY
AND THEN DECIDED IN HIS MIND
IT WAS TIME TO SAIL AWAY

FOR THE WORLD THAT I WAS BORN TO 
CLEARLY NO LONGER EXISTS
AND THE FEELING I SHOULD LEAVE IT
I CAN NO LONGER RESIST

AND AS HE SAT THERE THINKING
A MOTHER AND HER CHILD WALKED BY
AND THE OLD SAILOR'S HOURGLASS
HAD CAUGHT THE YOUNG BOY'S EYE

SO HE WALKED UP TO THE STRANGER
AS ONLY A YOUNG CHILD WILL DO
TO ASK IF HE COULD SEE THE HOURGLASS
BUT THEN HE NOTICED SOMETHING NEW

THAT THE OLD MAN HE WAS CRYING
THOUGH HE TRIED TO WIPE HIS EYES



SO THE CHILD FORGOT THE HOURGLASS
AND INSTEAD ASKED THE OLD MAN WHY

BUT BEFORE THE SAILOR COULD ANSWER
THE MOTHER SAID TO LEAVE THE MAN ALONE
AND TAKING THE CHILD BY THE HAND
SHE GENTLY LED HIM HOME

AND AS THEY LEFT THE BEACH 
THE SAND RECORDED BOTH THEIR TRACKS
UNTIL THEY REACHED THE FINAL DUNE
WHEN THE YOUNG CHILD HE LOOKED BACK

THEN HE SAW THE SAILOR STANDING UP
THE GLASS FALLING FROM HIS HAND
WHEN IT HIT THE GROUND THE TOP BROKE OFF
AND SPILLED OUT ALL ITS SAND 

THEN THE SAILOR WALKED UP TO THE SEA
AND WADED TO THE BOAT
BUT INSTEAD OF PULLING UP THE ANCHOR
HE SIMPLY CUT THE ROPE

AND THE LAST THING THAT THE CHILD SAW
AS THEY WALKED OUT OF SIGHT
WAS THE SAILOR AND HIS SAILBOAT
SAILING OUT INTO THE NIGHT

EACH MAN HAS A SOUL
THAT STRUGGLES TO ESCAPE
AND IN THE SHALLOWS OF HIS DREAMS
WE CAN OFTEN SEE ITS WAKE

FOR WE ALL HAVE OUR SECRETS
THAT WE ALL KEEP DEEP INSIDE



AWAY FROM LIGHT, IN DARKEST NIGHT
WHERE IT'S ALWAYS SAFE TO HIDE

AWAY FROM ALL THAT WE SHOULD MEET
LESS SOMEONE ELSE SHOULD SHARE
THAT THING THAT HIDES INSIDE OUR SOUL
THAT WE PRAY WAS NEVER THERE

AND OUT UPON THAT OCEAN
A LIFETIME FROM THE SHORE
MIGUEL STOOD HIS NIGHT WATCH
RECALLING EVERYTHING HE SAW

FOR HE WAS A DECKHAND 
ABOARD THE "MAERSK DUBAI"
HE HAD SAILED HER ROUND THE WORLD
FROM HAMBURG TO SENDAI

BUT THIS TRIP HAD BEEN DIFFERENT
MORE THAN ANY HE HAD KNOWN
FOR ON BOARD THERE WAS AN EVIL
AND THE EVIL HAD BEEN SHOWN

FOR HALFWAY THROUGH THIS VOYAGE
THEY HAD FOUND TWO STOWAWAYS
THAT THE CAPTAIN HAD THROWN IN THE SEA
AND LEFT THEM TO THE WAVES

AND WHEN HE TRIED TO CLOSE HIS EYES 
AND PRETEND HE DID NOT KNOW
THE EVIL DID NOT GO AWAY
BUT USED THE TIME TO GROW

FOR LATER ON THAT SAME TRIP
THEY FOUND A STOWAWAY ONCE AGAIN



BUT THE CAPTAIN SOON MET THIS ONE TOO
AND BROUGHT HIM TO THE SAME COLD END

HE WONDERED WHAT THAT BOY THOUGHT INSIDE
BEFORE THAT FINAL SLEEP
WHEN WATER WAS ALL THAT WAS AROUND
AND HIS LUNGS HAD SCREAMED BREATHE DEEP

HE WONDERED WHAT WENT THROUGH HIS MIND
AS HE GASPED FOR AIR
AND THE LAST MOMENT WHEN HE PRAYED FOR HELP
TO FIND NOBODY THERE

HE WONDERED TO HIMSELF
IF HE COULD HAVE BEEN THE ONE
TO STAND UP AT THAT MOMENT 
AND SAY THIS CANNOT BE DONE

TO STAND UP TO THE CAPTAIN
AND SAY THIS THING IT CANNOT BE
BUT THERE IS NOTHING CLOSER TO GOD ON EARTH
THAN A CAPTAIN ON THE SEA

AND HE WAS JUST A DECKHAND
WITH NO RIGHT TO PLEAD THE CASE
OF THIS STRANGER IN THEIR MIDST
AND SO HE KEPT HIS PLACE

AND WHAT IS DONE IS DONE
AND UNDONE CANNOT BE
AND SO HE PUSHED IT FROM HIS MIND 
AND STARED OUT ACROSS THE SEA

AFTER A NIGHT OF LITTLE SLEEP



HE OPENED THE GANGWAY DOOR
AND FELT HIS WORLD COLLAPSING 
NOT BELIEVING WHAT HE SAW

FOR THERE WITH HANDS ABOVE HIS HEAD
WAS A FOURTH STOWAWAY
TRYING TO SURRENDER
NOT KNOWING THE PRICE HE WOULD PAY

MIGUEL KNEW HE MUST ACT QUICKLY
IF THE LAD WAS TO HAVE ANY HOPE
SO HE POINTED TO THE CAPTAIN
AND RAN A FINGER CROSS HIS THROAT

AND THOUGH HE SPOKE LITTLE ENGLISH
THE STOWAWAY SEEMED TO UNDERSTAND
AND FOLLOWED MIGUEL TO A HIDING SPOT
AND PLACED HIS LIFE INTO HIS HANDS

AFTER MANY DAYS IN FEAR
THEY SAFELY REACHED THE PORT
AND THERE THE STOWAWAY WAS SET FREE
AND THE CAPTAIN BROUGHT TO COURT

BUT THEN THINGS TOOK AN EVIL TWIST
AND JUSTICE SEEMED TO FAIL
FOR MIGUEL WAS HELD AS A REFUGEE
AND THE CAPTAIN FREED ON BAIL

AND THE COMPANY OF THE MAERSK DUBAI
BROUGHT LAWYERS BY THE PACK
WHO WOULD SEARCH FOR TECHNICALITIES
TO LET THE CASE SLIP THROUGH THE CRACKS



SO WHILE THE LAWYERS SEARCH FOR LOOPHOLES
MIGUEL STILL SITS AND WAITS
IN SOME SMALL ROOM, HIS FUTURE RUINED
WHILE JUSTICE HESITATES

AND I WONDER WHAT THE CAPTAIN THINKS
EACH EVENING IN HIS BED
AND IF HE SHARES HIS DREAMS AT NIGHT
WITH THE RECENT DEAD

FOR CAPTAIN THERE WILL BE A DAY
WHEN YOUR SOUL WILL WASH UP ON HEAVEN'S SHORE
I PRAY THAT WHEN YOU REACH THAT DAY
THAT GOD'S MERCY IS MORE THAN YOURS

AND SOMETIMES IN THE EVENING
MIGUEL WILL TAKE LONG WALKS
AND LIKE THE OLD SAILOR BEFORE HIM
WITH THE OCEAN HE WILL TALK

AND AS HE WALKS ALONG
HE BREATHES IN THE OCEAN'S MORPHINE MIST
AND LOOKING ONCE MORE ACROSS THE NIGHT
DARES THE STARS TO GRANT A WISH

AND AS HE WALKED AWAY HE THOUGHT ABOUT 
THAT THIRD STOWAWAY ONCE MORE
AND WONDERED IF THE BODY HAD WASHED UP
UPON SOME FAR AND DISTANT SHORE

OR IF IT SANK DOWN THROUGH THE DEPTHS
OF COLD REALITY
TO REST UPON THE OCEAN FLOOR 
FOR ALL ETERNITY



FOR AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA
THE DEAD DO NOT FEEL PAIN
AND NEATH THE OCEAN MADE OF TEARS
THEY NEVER FEAR THE RAIN

BUT WHAT HAD REALLY HAPPENED
WAS A STRANGER TWIST OF FATE
THAT THE DECKHAND WAS TO NEVER KNOW
BUT TO YOU I WILL RELATE

BUT WHAT THE SAILOR DID NOT KNOW
AND WOULD NEVER LEARN
WAS ON THAT BEACH NOW FAR AWAY
THE YOUNG CHILD HAD RETURNED

AND FINDING THE BROKEN HOURGLASS
HE RESET IT UPRIGHT
THEN PLACED SAND FROM THE BEACH INSIDE
AND PLACED THE LID ON TIGHT

THEN EXAMINING HIS HANDIWORK
HE LEFT IT IN THE SAND
AND THEN HE QUICKLY RAN BACK HOME
THINKING GOD WOULD UNDERSTAND

NOW OUR STORY'S NEARLY OVER
AND WE'VE REACHED THE FINAL SCENE
BUT WE'RE SURE THAT SOME HAVE WONDERED
WHAT HAD HAPPENED IN-BETWEEN

FROM THE MOMENT WHEN THE BOY WAS SAVED
AND THEIR BOAT HAD REACHED THE SHORE
WELL, THEY TALKED ABOUT LIFE AND DEATH 



AND PERHAPS A LITTLE MORE

THE BOY SAID HE'D BEEN A STOWAWAY
ABOARD THE "MAERSK DUBAI"
WHEN THE CAPTAIN HAD HIM THROWN TO THE SEA
AND LEFT HIM THERE TO DIE

AT THIS THE OLD SAILOR HAD STOOD UP
HIS FACE NOW FILLED WITH RAGE
AND SWORE THAT HE WOULD NEVER REST
UNTIL THAT CAPTAIN HAD BEEN CAGED 

BUT THE BOY IMPLORED THE SAILOR
THAT HE NOT SAY A WORD
BECAUSE HE WAS AN ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT
AND AS OF RECENTLY HE'D HEARD

THAT GOING TO THE AUTHORITIES
COULD OFTEN BE UNWISE
WHEN ONE'S PAPER WERE ILLEGAL
THE POLICE JUST MIGHT NOT SYMPATHIZE

SO WHEN THEY REACHED THE HARBOR
WITH THEIR JOURNEY AT AN END
HE LEFT THE BOY ON ANOTHER SHIP
WHOSE CAPTAIN WAS A FRIEND

AND WHEN HE SAW IT PULL TO SEA
AND WAS ONCE MORE ALL ALONE
HE LEANED AGAINST THE TILLER
AND TURNED HIS SHIP BACK HOME

EVENTUALLY HE REACHED THAT BEACH
HE'D LEFT THE NIGHT BEFORE



THEN STEPPED A LAST TIME FROM THE BOAT
AND WADED TO THE SHORE

THEN THE OLD MAN PICKED THE GLASS UP
THAT HE HAD LEFT BEHIND
AND HEADED FOR THE SMALL CAFE
FOR IT WAS NEARLY TIME

AND THE OCEAN WATCHED HIM LEAVING
TO FIND HIS LADY FAIR
AND AS HE LEFT HE HEARD HER LAST WORDS
DRIFTING IN THE AIR

THAT EVERY MAN 
IS BORN YOU SEE
BENEATH THE SWORD 
DAMOCLES

FOR YOUNG AND OLD
ARE ALL ALIVE
ON THAT NEXT BEAT
ON WHICH WE RIDE

AND THAT BEAT IS SUCH
A FRAGILE THING
IN BOTH OLD MEN
OR YOUTHFUL KING

AND THAT BEAT 
STANDS ALL ALONE YOU SEE
BETWEEN US 
AND BLACK ETERNITY

AND UNTIL THAT TIME

WHEN DEATH WON'T WAIT
LET EACH MAN RAGE 
AGAINST HIS FATE