out of the burning embers
the mighty phoenix rose
all he’d done no one knows
even he does not remember
he spread his ancient wings
into the crimson sky
away from the streets did he fly
longing to hear the angels sing
dragging behind
the shadow of his soul
nothing now his to control
with the smell of burning flesh
his spirit now enmeshed
and from this life
he begged to part
to cleanse his anguished heart
of all his sins he did repent
only to find his time was spent
and to raise once more his mighty sword
against the maddening raging horde
of those he once called friend
who now were set to cause his end
it once was his across the land
he had the world at his command
but memories tainted by that crimson time
of life on streets when none was kind
the sound of his tears crash to concrete
where black leather wraps his weary feet
tracks gouged in the flesh of his face
like a lonesome railroad crossing the landscape of his life
where might he go for a touch of grace?
a land without knife without sword without strife
and so it was that the bird took flight
choosing no longer to fight the fight
of waging chaos night after night
he flew through the valley of the darkened dead
charging his mighty wings ahead
and changed his ways of war
to those of heaven afar
and from his fall from grace
the phoenix prayed salvation wait
and with this flight of righteousness
the holy gods upon him blessed
giving his spirit its needed rest
no longer on its violent quest
and in his stead
a righteous man a valiant man
before us now proudly stands
who of all sin now has shed
and to us proves each golden day
that love of life is our true stay
the only way
for this new man
who now before us stands
the valiant phoenix
man
~
