How far have I come down this forever line
Down the one-way-ticket travel of time
     How much lies ahead on these dead end tracks
     Forcing us all to never look back
Where did those trails lead that I've spurned
What did those bridges cross that I've burned
     Through the crooked, twisted trailblaze of life
     Racin' in fury only to find strife
Leavin' all kinds of truths unturned
Leavin' all kinds of hopes unlearned
     Leavin' all kinds of love behind
     You look high and low for a camp to find

Only enemy ground around to be found

No end in sight, no rest in view
Just the tired words of a few
     Beaten-down burn-outs along the way
     On the side of many trails they're bound to stay
Ran off too hard without thinkin' at all
Crawled at heart 'til their sky started to fall
     Their visions and dreams showered at first
     Came in the night, gave light, what a curse
You see, they never did pause to hear anyone
The wise, the loving, absolutely none
     They wanted no way but to fail on their own
     Ignored the counsel with insides of stone
Determined to run their course straight away
Not stopping a second to account for the day
     When their fire quits yieldin' the heat that it did
     When their steam cools off and they're lyin' in bed
Wonderin' how things got so upside-down
So wretched and dark you can't find the ground
     "It's only this time," they say to themselves
     So deeper and deeper into the pain they delve

But they don't see, and don't care to know it
They only live on the surface, refusin' to show it
     That hurt that's eatin' 'em straight up alive
     Carvin' the hole of the cynic inside
Makin' 'em cold, unaccepting of love
Dealing only in raindrops above
     Turnin' down so many-an-offering
     From many-a-traveler's full cantene
Hungry and dry, their mouths can't even water
When they see the mirage of the feast that's in order
     Don't end like that, don't be that way
     Heed the humble words they'll say
The warnings, the teachings of the failed and tattered
Priceless protection from being beaten and battered
     But your trail is still blazin', you're only just begun
     Remember the old, and stay at heart young
With the vigor and zest you have in your flesh
Let it pervade to the depths of your sense
     To the pit of your soul, let it stay and abide
     Give it a warm place to rest and hide
For there it'll feed you when you're feeling deserted
Left out, excluded, and you've already reverted
     To the lone-ranger crusader you knew you could be
     And conquer them all, yet you failed to see
Your hidden fuel that's feedin' yah down deep
Only grows when you allow your keep
     To let down its walls
     To answer the calls
         Of another in need
         Of another young steed
Who's lookin' for love and tryin' to give
All that he can that another might live
     In abundance of peace, in the pastures of plenty
     In the fullness of life, and he thinks he's all ready
To lead and to serve and take up the reigns
And bear the torch of the true and unfeigned
     He's jumpin' and buckin', but startin' to lose
     His handle cuz he thinks he's ready to choose
Destiny's trail through his jungles untamed
And you cross his path when you're completely unmaimed

Will you let him know, not to take it too slow
At the point in time he's ready to go
     To leave the shelter and get himself lost
     In his purpose in life and forget the cost
Of the flames he'll ignite and the fires he'll light
Of the love that he'll give and the battles he'll fight
     Will you let him in turn, do unto you
     And help you find hope you ne'er before knew
And give you a word or two of his choosin'
To keep you from missin' out and losin'
     Your focus, your sight, your wonderful heart
     And the joys of the times in your early start
         Of the road that you've found has run his way
         And though at this crossroads you're unlikely to stay
The time that is now, as the sun sets on this day,
Has not yet been wasted nor whittled away

So as your two paths divide and continue
And the shadows of life creep in and surround you,
     Remember the words of warmth that were shared
     For though you may not have entirely cared
Its these people and faces you meet down the line
That keep your coal burnin' down the highway of time...