The Emperor

Lyrics

[Intro]

[Verse 1]
The stone is freezing under these red robes
Four carved rams are staring out across the sand
I am wearing steel plates beneath my clothes
An eleven-pound copper globe sweating in my hand
I built the walls so high the weather cannot reach us
I paved the earth so nothing breaks into pieces

[Chorus]
The map is drawn, the borders hold
I made a cage of right angles to keep out the storm
But the iron collar is getting so cold
And the scepter is losing its form
I am the roof that stops the sky from caving in
But nobody can breathe underneath this second skin

[Verse 2]
Look behind my throne at the barren range
No water flows, no green would ever dare to grow
Because anything that blossoms might suddenly decide to change
And I have to know, I have to completely know
The human cortex craves a map that it can trust
Even if we have to turn the garden into dust

[Chorus]
The map is drawn, the borders hold
I made a cage of right angles to keep out the storm
But the iron collar is getting so cold
And the scepter is losing its form
I am the roof that stops the sky from caving in
But nobody can breathe underneath this second skin

[Bridge]
If I stand up, does the empire fall?
If I loosen the gauntlet, does the mountain shake?
I built this geometry to save us all
Now I'm pinned to the throne and my shoulders ache
The stone rams are watching with their blank gray eyes
I am defending you from the open skies!

[Chorus]
The map is drawn, the borders hold
I made a cage of right angles to keep out the storm
But the iron collar is getting so cold
And the scepter is losing its form
I am the roof that stops the sky from caving in
But nobody can breathe underneath this second skin

[Outro]
Stay inside the lines
Let me bear the weight
The copper globe is slipping
My knuckles are turning white
Don't ask me to stand
I can't bend my knees
I can't bend my knees