The Pilgrim (Shadow Walk)

Into the Ice

Step, step: that ain't a beat, that's a man who won't retreat. Every time they wrote the headline that I was finished, I stood back up, cracked my knuckles and kept walking. Shadows walk the longer miles, and they never clock in or out. Every wound becomes a rock to stand on, every scar a clock that only ticks forward. I'll find my peace the way I find everything else: walking on.

Lyrics

Step. Step. Step. Step.
You hear that?
That's not a beat.
That's a man who won't retreat.

I walk, I talk, I rock, I clock
Every mile on every block
Tear it down, rebuild the stock
Light the fuse before they knock
Been walking since before the dawn
Decided it was worth the crawl
Been running since the day they yawned
And said I'd never cross the wall
What wall? Whose wall? I broke the frame
I left the race, I burned the lane
I built the track, I owned the game
Then lit the whole damn thing in flame
From Zurich halls to Santiago
Bleeding feet on frozen stone
From Google gold to empty pockets
Every castle was a loan
And every time they wrote the headline
"He's done, he's gone, he finally fell"
I stood back up, I cracked my knuckles
Burned the version they could sell

I'M A PILGRIM AND I DON'T STOP
Every wound becomes a rock
Every scar becomes a clock
Ticking forward, never lock
I WALK THROUGH FIRE, WALK THROUGH RAIN
The forest is the light, the loss is gain
I go, I go, I go, I flow
No road too long, no depth too low
I go, I go, I go, I glow
A pilgrim of the shadow show

You want it pretty? Call Naimor
He'll sing it soft, he'll close the door
I'm the version on the floor
At midnight, crawling back for more
I'm the one who takes the hit
When the clean streak starts to split
I'm the scream that doesn't fit
I'm the truth you won't admit
I'm the version past the filter
Past the LinkedIn, past the post
I'm the 3 AM no-shelter
I'm the thing that haunts you most
But shadows walk the longer miles
Shadows don't clock in or out
Shadows built the brand from wreckage
Shadows never learn to doubt
The shadow drove through rain for hours
Then walked on stage and owned the floor
The shadow wrote the song at 4 AM
Then showed up begging still for more
So don't you say I'm just the damage
Don't you say I'm what went wrong
I'm the engine and the fire
I'm the reason for the song

Five times down. Five times up.
Three voices. One throat. One cup.
They said sit down. I said stand up.
They said too much. I said not enough.
Every room I ever entered
Thought they had me figured out.
Chief of something. Brand of nothing.
Loud mouth full of doubt.
But 3:33 in the silence,
Nobody watching, nobody near,
Just a man with bleeding eyes
Talking to the air.
And the air said: I'm still here.

I'm fifty-one and still I'm stepping
Still I'm burning what I cross
Still I'm loving those who left me
Still I'm counting what it cost
But cost me what? My comfort? Gone.
My pride? I trade it every dawn.
My sleep? I gave it to the song.
My peace? I'll find it walking on.
I walked with Nelson till he passed
I carried ashes, carried grief
I walked with Clay through every blast
I'll walk through fire for belief
From whirlpool steam to Geneva trains
From veil to stage to back again
I'm the pilgrim with the stain
And the stain becomes the pen

I'M A PILGRIM AND I DON'T BREAK
Every fall for every sake
Every loss for what I'll make
Every night I stay awake
I WALK THROUGH WALLS, I WALK THROUGH DOUBT
The mirror is the room, the scream is the shout
I go, I go, I go, I flow
Through every high and every blow
I go, I go, I go, I know
THE PILGRIM WALKS, THE SHADOW GLOWS

A pilgrim.
Still walking.
Never stopping.
Never home.
And the air still talks back.

Words and music: Romian Nazlab · A Bonfire Production