Building an Empire

I won't laugh now that your precious sun has gone I won't pray for the rain to come Words make me feel like a newborn A new time has come, I will live it on my own But how did it all come down? Keep your head up now, your precious sun has grown You'll have to wait for the rain to come A blank page's worth a thousand words When only one song could destroy them all And why couldn't it be this one? I wrote it on my own before the dawn I won't cry now, the insiders are free to leave And I feel at peace with the flood still waiting I created these worlds, one by one, word by word If there was a song that could destroy them all Why should I sing it now that I feel all alone? And why couldn't it be this one? I wrote it on my own before the dawn I was warned but now that my time has come Please let me drown just one more time Before the dawn I was strong but now my kingdom's come down I'll wear my crown just one more time Before the dawn How did it all come down? why am I the only one? Leave the dark and see the light There is no need to look back Leave the dark, life seems so bright We'll free yourself from your thoughts Now that it's time to grow up Don't tell me so when no one's around Leave the dark, life seems so bright We won't stab you in the back But how did it all come down? I was warned but now that my time has come Please let me drown just one more time Before the dawn I was strong but now my kingdom's come down I'll wear my crown just one more time Before the dawn But how did it all come down?

Submitted by johnmansley — Feb 25, 2026

Wake up And listen to the waves Is there a word That could wash away your tears at your will? Stand up And listen to the wind Is there a moment You can sit down and stay still? Now lay down And feel your life leaving Is there a heart that could beat by your side If you can't believe in yourself? In you ... and what lies beneath You ... in truth ... and what lies underneath There's no need to learn anything No need to forget anything You never listened anyway There's no need to learn any song Take my hand and we'll carry on Remember what you wished to be Now we're going home There's no need to learn anything No need to forget anything Remember what you wished to be And now we're going home

Submitted by johnmansley — Feb 25, 2026

Feeding the machine From this inner cage i made my body My son is staring at a sun that's still to come But go figure it all Was it worth searching far beyond? Scratching the surface From this inner grave i built my country My love, i finally found the one i belong to But go figure it all Was it worth waiting for so long To become the stone? Follow me here, i'm on my way back Crimson, we've become the stone and my time may come To see the man i've become And follow the child inside until he's grown up Before he goes away Memories and expectations All is moving in so similar ways Small rooms or huge surroundings There's no use when you are the missing I think i'm getting used to the fear of getting used to you I think we're getting used to the fear of living for two Follow me here i'm on my way back home You can bury me here or take my hand back stronger

Submitted by johnmansley — Feb 25, 2026

This is what i call a new day I'll miss the worlds before the dawn Fallen or gone, i am your angel Make my wings strong, i'll keep you warm I was sitting, tired but breathing Hoping the sun would touch my skin Come fly with me, anytime you want My wings are made of our dreams Come make me feel anything you want And nobody will show you we're not real Fallen or gone, i saw an angel Reminding me of what we wished to be I was sitting, tired but breathing Hoping her hand would touch my skin 'this time i won't let them scar your wings', she said 'show them what they wished they'd never see' Come fly with me, anytime you want My wings are made of our dreams Come make me feel anything you want And nobody will show we're not Come have shelter anywhere you want Put out the sea and chase your fears Come and ask me anything you want To thank you for making me feel so ... This is what i call a new day This is what i call a new day My wings are made of our dreams This is what i call a new day This is what i call a new day To thank you for making me feel so real

Submitted by johnmansley — Feb 25, 2026

Sometimes... so strange... cut up the pain Some thing... arrange... always the same Come into the scene... closer... and please smile again Come for a walk... together... in this wasteland These comforting words i'd want to hear... I'm only dreaming This is the moment i was waiting for I was burning to welcome you into my world So tired of crossing you path once more I thought we'd walk the same way after all The words are yet to come And still i feel like silence is meaning so much more To tell you what's unspoken but remains inside I feel so quiet i will rise Sometimes... so strange... cut up the pain These comforting words i'd want you to say... I'm only craving In this dream i never had before The warmth filling me makes me crave for more The space between us doesn't matter Within this time we spent together The words are yet to come And still i feel like silence is meaning so much more To tell you what's unspoken but remains inside I feel so quiet i will rise Tonight... you just... cut up the pain Nothing will ever be the same I'll leave... the scene... but please smile again Thanks for the walk... together... we'll meet again...

Submitted by johnmansley — Feb 25, 2026

Imagine a temple in your dreams Where even all my fears won't make you disappear Imagine these feelings we could share You'd keep them in your head, even when i'm dead Imagine now, imagine now... but you can't imagine... Remember this ringing in your ears Sounded like my biggest fear and you made it disappear Remember now these feelings that we shared How they whisper in your ears even when i'm far away Remember now this temple in my dreams Where even all your fears won't make me disappear Remember now these moments that we shared Now they will stay in your head even when i'm dead Remember now, remember now... I won't say goodbye this time I won't let you die inside my mind

Submitted by johnmansley — Feb 25, 2026

Saying goodbye is saying 'die' Will you ever remember, awakening or slumber? I won't ask you to fly so high But help me to lift that weight i'm feeling deep inside And this place that's so familiar Will stay our temple forever We'll see the light brighter than ever Whether you choose to stay Or choose to run away Your life is ours and there is no other way And if one day i chose to run away We'll be together when we remember that day I still feel the sun is trying But i remember deep within That i will miss you all when you leave me And remember now These moments that we shared Will never make me forget why i chose to stay It's an awakening Down on slumber Awakening... it's the dawn of slumber Choose to stay Or if i choose to run away Your life is ours and there is no other way Contemplate now this temple in my dreams Where even all our fears won't make me disappear Remember now these feelings we once shared Keep them in your head Even when we're far away from awakening Down on slumber Awakening, dawn of slumber I won't say goodbye this time I won't let you die inside my head Don't tell me goodbye this time Or don't let me die inside my mind...

Submitted by johnmansley — Feb 25, 2026

Deaf, numb and run-down Fastened-seatbelt homeward-bound Landing checks and gear down A ten-hour flight hits the ground And all that i once knew is gone Eyes open wide Dawning on wasted mourning hours An aerial slide And a led screen counting down the miles Here comes the time i... Swirl on the downside world Gear up to take off If anything is turning you off Next time, good son Don't look down while you leave the ground Head up, and... Swirl the downside world Now hours pass like centuries And empty minutes feel like years The engine rumbling in my ears Won't make the memories disappear For family and friends, for passengers A postcard's worth an open letter We never met, we never will They're scared and all i need's a thrill All this is now so far away And yet it feels like yesterday When she was drawing lines in the sand That i was holding in my hand Holding in my hand Hold it in your hand All this is now so far away And yet it feels like yesterday Did it have to end that way When there was so much left to say? For family, friends, for passengers The show is over When we are down Where are we crashing down?... You know when hours feel like years This cold and sleepless night aside An engine's rumbling in my ears A led screen's counting down the miles For family, friends, for passengers The show is over May it all swirl Down on the outside world You know when hours feel like years From the pain and shivers that subside Like this cancer corroding our dreams These needles emptying down the vials For family, friends, for passengers A postcard's worth an open letter We'll meet again, i'm sure we will You're scared and all i need's a thrill You know when hours feel like years In cold and sleepless nights you shine In the engine rumbling in my ears On led screens counting down the miles For family friends, for passengers The show is over May it all swirl Down on the outside world I'm seeing the earth from a plane Where precious space and time sustain And you are drawing lines in the sand I keep holding in my hand No family, friend, no passenger The show is over When we are down Where are we crashing down...? And i remember hours feel like years Hoping this pain and shivers would subside Like this cancer corroded our dreams These needles emptied down the vials No family, friends, nor passengers The show is over And now we all swirl Down on the outside world May it all swirl Down on the outside world Swirl... I'm seeing the earth from a plane Where precious space and time sustain We'll meet again, i'm sure we will You're scared and i just got my thrill Spinning around in my head Every word that you said And everything we have been That we were holding in our hands Holding in our hands Deaf, numb and run-down Fastened-seatbelt, homeward-bound Landing checks and gear down A ten-hour flight hits the ground And all that i once knew is gone... All that i once knew is gone

Submitted by johnmansley — Feb 25, 2026