24. The Silent Man

A question well served "Is silence like a fever?"
"A voice never heard?" "Or a message with no receiver?"
Pray they won't ask behind the stained glass
There's always one more mask
Has man been a victim of his woman, of his father?
if elects not to bother, will he suffocate their faith?
Desperate to fall behind the Great Wall
That separates us all when there is reason
Tonight I'm Awake when there's no answer
Arrive the Silent Man
If there is balance tonight he's awake
if they have to suffer there lies the Silent Man
Sin without deceivers - a God with no believers
I could sail by on the Winds of Silence
and maybe they won't notice
But this time I think
it'd be better if I swim
When there is reason
When there's no answer
Arrive the Silent Man
if there is balance tonight he's Awake
If they have to suffer
There lies the Silent Man

25. Learning To Live

There was no time for pain
No energy for anger
The sightlessness of hatred slips away
Walking through winter streets alone
He stops and takes a breath
With confidence and self-control
I look at the world and see no understanding
I'm waiting to find some sense of strength
I'm begging you from the bottom of my heart
To show me understanding
I need to live life like some people never will
So find me kindness
Find me beauty - Find me truth
The way your heart sounds makes all the difference
It's what decides if you'll endure the pain we all feel
The way your heart beats makes all the difference
In learning to live here before me is my soul
I'm learning to live
I won't give up till I've no more to give
Listening to the city whispering its violence
i set out watchhing from above
The 90s bring new questions
New solutions to be found
I fell in love to be let down
Once again we dance in the crowd
At times a step away
from a common fear that's all spread out
It won't listen to what you say
Once you're touched you stand alone
To face the bitter fight
Once I reached for love and now I reach for life
Another chance to live my life
Free the sensation in my heart
To ride the wings of dreams
into changing horizons
It brings inner peace within my mind,
As I'm lifted from where I've spilt my life
I hear an innocence voice
I hear kindnes, beauty and truth
The way your heart sounds
makes all the difference
It's what decides if you'll endure the pain that we all feel
The way your heart beats makes all the difference
In learning to live spread before you is your soul
So for ever hold the dreams within our hearts
Through nature's inflexible grace I'm learning to live

26. A Change Of Season

I remember time my friend...

1. As I Am

[Lyrics by John Petrucci]

Don't
Tell me what's in
Tell me how to write
Don't tell me how to win
This fight
Isn't your life
It isn't your right
To take the only thing that's
Mine

Proven over time
It's over your head
Don't try to read between the
Lines
Are clearly defined
Never lose sight of

Something you believe in

Takin' in the view from the outside
Feeling like the underdog
Watching through the window I'm on the outside
Living like the underdog

I've been trying to justify you
In the end I will just defy you

To those who understand, I extend my hand
To the doubtful I demand, take me as I am
Not under your command, I know where I stand
I won't change to fit your plan, Take me as I am

As I am

Still
Running uphill
Swimming against the current
I wish I weren't so
Fucked
Feels like I'm stuck
Lost in a sea of mediocrity

''Slow down,
You're thinking too much
Where is your soul?''
You cannot touch
The way I
Play
Or tell me what to say
You're in the way

Of all that I believe in

Takin' in the view from the outside
Feeling like the underdog
Watching through the window I'm on the outside
Living like the underdog
I've been wasting my breath on you
Open minds will descend upon you

To those who understand, I extend my hand
To the doubtful I demand, take me as I am
Not under your command, I know where I stand
I won't change to fit your plan, take me as I am

2. This Dying Soul

[Lyrics by Mike Portnoy]

[IV. Reflections of Reality (Revisited)]

Hello, Mirror - so glad to see you my friend, it's been a while
Searching, Fearless - where do I begin to heal this wound of self-denial

Face yourself man!
Brace yourself and trace your hell back

You've been blinded, living lie a one way cold existence all the while
Now it's time to stare the problem right between the eyes you long lost child

I wanna feel your body breaking
Wanna feel your body breaking and shaking and left in the cold
I want to heal your conscience making a change o fix this dying soul

Born into this world a broken home
Surrounded by love yet all alone
Forced into a life that's split in two

A mother and a father both pulling you

Then you had to deal with loss and death
Everybody thinking they know best
Coping with this shit at such an age
Can only fill a kid with pain and rage

Family disease pumped through your blood
Never had the chance you thought you could
Running all the while with no escape
Turning all that pain in to blame and hate

Living on your own by twenty one
Not a single care and having fun
Consuming all the life in front of you
Burning out the fuse and smoking the residue

Possessive obsessions selfish childish games
Vengeful resentments
Passing all the blame
Living out a life of decadence
Acing without thought of consequence
Spreading all your lies from coast to coast

While spitting on the ones that matter most

Running power mad with no control
Fighting for the credit they once stole
No one can ever tell you what to do
Ruling other's lives while the can't stand the thought of you

A living reflection seen from miles away
A hopeless affliction having run astray

I wanna feel your body breaking
Wanna feel your body breaking and shaking and left in the cold
I want to heal your conscience making a change o fix this dying soul

Now that you can see all you have done
It's time to take that step into the kingdom
All your sins will only make you strong