There Once Lived

There once lived an Empress, a fortress, a bluff
She lived her life in luxury.
On the inside, however, she wasn't so tough
Her strength concealed an injury.

Though her subjects saw regality only
Inside she was exceedingly lonely
This poor mare had suffered so great a loss
Her rule and position had come at a cost

Within, guilt festered.
Within, rage lied.
Safely sequestered,
Stifled, stuffed, tied.

Though she knew this great tragedy she couldn't prevent
The Empress' soul still cried out its lament
And she knew in her heart that she could not repent
Indeed, every last drop had been spent.

"I borrow the sorrow as morrow stretches on.
"In this night there's no light, my plight presses on.
"As I bleed, I feel a need, I feel a greed that passes on.
"This Empress holds sweet misery."

The ruler was young
Experience had she none
Too soon had this mantle
Been placed upon her brow.

This Empress was strong
--so said the locals--
She'd come from blood royal
And would soon learn how.

This Empress was strong
--she told herself at night--
She could handle this mantle
She could handle this plow
She could weather the storm
If she only knew how.

If she only knew how.
How, how to live on.
When all those around her were gone.
And there seemed to be no more dawn.
And her place in life became that of a pawn.
"This Empress holds sweet misery."

Time, that treacherous, conniving, loathsome thing
Moves forward.
The Empress, still unused to her title and held on frail wings
Was forced along.
Daily life continued as she practiced and progressed.
But never forgot.
And behind the mask she built there was nothing but stress.
"This Empress holds sweet misery."

"This Empress holds sweet misery."
She's naught but a container.
"This Empress holds sweet misery."
She could not be any saner
"This Empress holds sweet misery,"
And one day I will find
That past this stony bind
There's nothing left inside
There's nothing left inside
When will you realize
There's nothing left inside.

This Empress holds nothing.
This Empress is empty.
This Empress is empty.
This Empress...

knows she can't let herself fall apart.
is going to pull herself together.
will fight, tooth and claw, for a new start.
can live and thrive in any weather.

Now if only she could believe
These things she can achieve.