The Cease-Fire
The first of three studies in reminding myself to rest. Phone off, door locked, and for one morning nobody has to fight anything, including me. Resting isn't giving up. Sometimes it's the only way to keep going.
The maps are on the table, the pieces are all drawn
Another war game calculated in the pale and early dawn
The ghosts are in their barracks, the dragon's in his den
And I don't have to think about the where or what or when
The phone is off, the door is locked, the sky is turning grey
And for a single, perfect moment, I have nothing left to say
And this is the cease-fire, the quiet in the soul
The one and only moment that I am in control
Not of the world, not of the war, not of the coming fight
Just of this single, silent breath of pale and morning light
It isn't peace, it isn't joy, it isn't a release
It's just the beautiful and simple grace of letting the war cease
The general is sleeping, the engineer's at rest
And the king upon the lonely throne has no one to impress
The broken parts are quiet now, the engine's idling low
A quiet little haven where there's nowhere left to go
And I'm not trying to be better, I'm not trying to be free
I'm just a tired man who's finally taking time to just be me
And this is the cease-fire, the quiet in the soul
The one and only moment that I am in control
Not of the world, not of the war, not of the coming fight
Just of this single, silent breath of pale and morning light
It isn't peace, it isn't joy, it isn't a release
It's just the beautiful and simple grace of letting the war cease
No grand design, no final plan
Just the quiet of a broken man
Who's found a truce inside the pain
A shelter from the coming rain
And it is good, and it is nice
To just give up, just for a night
And this is the cease-fire, the quiet in the soul
The one and only moment that I am in control
Not of the world, not of the war, not of the coming fight
Just of this single, silent breath of pale and morning light
It isn't peace, it isn't joy, it isn't a release
It's just the beautiful and simple grace of letting the war cease
Just for a little while
Cease