Shadow In the Room

the news is bad, it always is, it shudders down the line
people close their eyes and ears and leave their minds behind
and the only answers taken are what they already know
and the shadow in the room begins to grow

the death toll mounts on either side for every face a name
everybody points the finger says the other one is to blame
and vengeance is a hungry thing it cannot be satisfied
and the shadow in the room won't take a side

the right of gods to give and take is taken for the law
by those who stand to gain the most from such a fatal flaw
and religion is to justify what would otherwise be moot
and the shadow in the room is absolute

there’s a meeting in a secret place you won’t find on any map
where the world is a chessboard move the pieces up and back
and the ones who gain the most are those who use the biggest guns
and the shadow in the room knows how its done

there’s another pretty pop star with easy melodies
everybody loves the ballgame but it saps their energies
and it’s better to be entertained than it is to have to think
and the shadow in the room becomes distinct

the shadow like an animal has been there all along
an elephant or an albatross whatever fits your song
whatever you won’t look at because it interrupts your game
and it will never disappear without a name

its the knot inside your thinking, its the shadow on the sun
its whatever you have to deal with before you can get anything done
its what your enemy's been trying to tell you all along
and it’s the only thing worth singing in a song