The Cave from The Cave by David Curtis Owens

I was born and I have lived always staring at a wall,
Chained upon the floor so I couldn’t even crawl.
Watching for the shadows and guessing at their size,
Hearing only whispers and knowing only lies.
The game was always easy just tell ‘em what I see,
Repeat what have I learned and someday I’ll be free,
And if I can escape, and these chains around me fall,
How will I know truth without staring at a wall?

And when I get to where I’m going, will I go back to where I came,
Show you how to get there, and you can do the same?
When I feel the sun, and the air upon my skin,
Will I look back to the cave that I was in?
Will I know how far that I have been?

You come around and tell me, that you have brought a key,
Take away these chains, and tell me that I’m free.
Pick me up, dust me off, show me something real.
If I don’t believe you just tell me how to feel.
Blinded by the light and there’s tears in my eyes.
Tell me that I’m better now and tell me that I’m wise.
And the men who play with fire, and the shadow’s that they cast,
Shatter this illusion and leave it in the past.

'Cause when I get to where I’m going, I’ll go back to where I came,
Show you how to get there, and you can do the same.
When I feel the sun, and the air upon my skin,
I'll look back to the cave that I was in,
'Cause I'll know how far that I've been.

You drag me up the stairs and push me out the door,
Follow close behind me and give me something more.
Show me the reflections in water at my feet,
The strangers that I’ve known and the people that I'll meet.
And I contemplate the light and darkness of my home,
See if remember all that I have known.
And the games that I have played, and the prizes that I won,
How do they compare to the fire of the sun?

And you take me down, to the cold dark ground.
To the shadows on the wall and the men behind it all,
And my friends still chained upon the floor.
Will they laugh if I tell that there’s more?
Or will they take my hand when I say,

"Stop living in the shadows and staring at a wall,
Let me take your chains, I’ll tell you what I saw.
There’s men behind the curtains, and there’s fire in the sky,
This cavern’s an illusion, well let me tell you why."

They say that I am blind and they think that I’ve gone mad,
When I try to tell them the visions that I’ve had.
And do they want to kill me or should I try to stay,
Chain myself again or try to find a way?

Now that I've got to where I’m going, I’ll go back to where I came,
Show you how to get there, and you can do the same.
When you feel the sun, and the air upon your skin,
You'll look back to the cave that you were in,
And you'll know how far...
And you'll know how far...
And you'll know how far, we have been.

• Folk
• americana
• bluegrass
• folk
• singer-songwriter
• Bothell