The Lantern

In the city where the mirrors breathe,

In the city where the mirrors breathe,

every door reflects, every face

every door reflects, every face

believes. The sun's burn bright from a

believes. The sun's burn bright from a

thousand towers. But I have never felt

thousand towers. But I have never felt

their power. Light without warmth, shine

their power. Light without warmth, shine

without shadow. A glittering road that

without shadow. A glittering road that

goes nowhere hollow. They said you won't

goes nowhere hollow. They said you won't

need fire here. The streets blaze bright

need fire here. The streets blaze bright

as the face you fear to see. They said,

as the face you fear to see. They said,

"Put down your little lantern." What

"Put down your little lantern." What

could one flame mean in a city made of

could one flame mean in a city made of

gleaming? So I walked inside with my

gleaming? So I walked inside with my

lantern dark and done watching the

lantern dark and done watching the

pilgrims praise their own perfect image

pilgrims praise their own perfect image

of it.

of it.

At the center of the city of light stood

At the center of the city of light stood

the temple where they go at night to ask

the temple where they go at night to ask

the great mirror who am I? And the

the great mirror who am I? And the

mirror always answers. It never lies. It

mirror always answers. It never lies. It

tells you magnificent. It tells you

tells you magnificent. It tells you

chosen. It tells you the story you

chosen. It tells you the story you

always hope was spoken. And the pilgrims

always hope was spoken. And the pilgrims

wept. Oh, the pilgrims wept with relief

wept. Oh, the pilgrims wept with relief

so sweet it felt like love. And they

so sweet it felt like love. And they

left devoted to the image kept. And they

left devoted to the image kept. And they

called it knowing themselves.

called it knowing themselves.

I stood before the mirror alone. It

I stood before the mirror alone. It

offered me a crown, a name, a throne, a

offered me a crown, a name, a throne, a

story finished, sealed, and signed. The

story finished, sealed, and signed. The

self I'd always wanted to find.

self I'd always wanted to find.

But I raised the lantern. I struck the

But I raised the lantern. I struck the

spark once more on its fire in the

spark once more on its fire in the

palace of the dark. The flame was almost

palace of the dark. The flame was almost

rude against the temple's endless glow.

rude against the temple's endless glow.

Not beautiful, not polished, just

Not beautiful, not polished, just

burning just so.

burning just so.

And the mirror trembled at something it

And the mirror trembled at something it

could not reflect. A presence without

could not reflect. A presence without

performance, a face without a verdict.

performance, a face without a verdict.

The crack came like ice breaking on a

The crack came like ice breaking on a

still make at dawn. Not a shattering

still make at dawn. Not a shattering

awaking, something frozen moving. Oh,

awaking, something frozen moving. Oh,

the thousand suns dimmed. Shadows fell

the thousand suns dimmed. Shadows fell

across the stone. And the people of the

across the stone. And the people of the

city saw the edges of their own. They

city saw the edges of their own. They

panicked. Oh, they panicked that the

panicked. Oh, they panicked that the

dark line their lives until the dark

dark line their lives until the dark

became the answer to a question they

became the answer to a question they

denied. You only cast a shadow if

denied. You only cast a shadow if

something real stands in the light. You

something real stands in the light. You

only have a darkness if you actually

only have a darkness if you actually

exist tonight.

exist tonight.

The traveler walked on lantern warm and

The traveler walked on lantern warm and

small. Not asking for permission. Not

small. Not asking for permission. Not

answering the call of every gleaming

answering the call of every gleaming

surface that promised them a name. You

surface that promised them a name. You

don't need the mirror's verdict. You

don't need the mirror's verdict. You

only need the flame. Carry a small fire

only need the flame. Carry a small fire

long enough to see. Not the face you

long enough to see. Not the face you

wanted, but the one that's free. Carry a

wanted, but the one that's free. Carry a

small fire through the cities of the

small fire through the cities of the

bright. Let the mirrors crack behind

bright. Let the mirrors crack behind

you. You were never just their light. Go

you. You were never just their light. Go

on. Go on, lantern lit and walking. No

on. Go on, lantern lit and walking. No

longer asking mirrors who you are.

longer asking mirrors who you are.

Go on. Go on. Small flame on is burning.

Go on. Go on. Small flame on is burning.

Learning yourself without permission.

Learning yourself without permission.

Without applause.

Without applause.

Feel it.

Feel it.