Ballade:

Shadows creep up my wall to say

The time is ticking fast on me

And though I wait, it's long in the day

Questions crawl up my heart inside

Where no one sees, not even me

The shadow's pace that I long to hide.

Then sometimes it seems I should pray

Humbly upon a bended knee

To hurry up the long Judgment Day

So until that time, I'll just betide

And pretend that I can flee

The shadow's pace that I long to hide.

But it's hard to feel so astray

And in every face only see

Lingering mistrust; ideas run away,

What they can spy on the outside

Only confirms that they can see

The shadow's pace that I long to hide.

I seek the light shining its ray

From top of sky in apogee

When no shade is cast that's not at bay

If such a place exists flip-side

It's only there that I will free

The shadow's pace that I long to hide.

Envoi:

But you, tyrant that ever be

Your only demand is suicide –

To your hallow gift all decree

The shadow's pace that I long to hide.