The Machine

This is the first ballad that I've shared on this site... The only one I've got so far worth sharing. Enjoy, and leave suggestions or comments. I am always happy to hear people's thoughts!

The Machine

by Jeremy Hahn

There once was an ironhand boy

Who would toil behind steel walls

Watching the hot metal thunder

And the steam hissing through the halls

He was told from an early age

“You exist to work your life out.”

So he'd wake up every morning

To sustain the machine's shout.

But if you ever spoke with him

He'd flash a young bright smile.

Saying “Life's all sorts of tough,

but I'll be here for awhile.”

Cause the machine will always break

You can't ever stop it's ringing.

And somewhere in the steel labyrinth,

You could hear him quietly singing...

“I've got to find the missing part

to make the machine complete.

To fix it and bring it to life

so that it's heart may always beat.

“There's a man to govern me

Ready to strike down from his throne.

But the part is long lost you see

Cause I've been searching all alone.”

There was once a young factory boy

Sitting beyond metal gears

Hiding inside an iron beast

Listening to the metal tear.

He could hear it eating itself

For it was running short on time

But the boy worked modestly

Only making an hourly dime.

And after, I would talk with him

While he would force a smile

Saying, “I just can't find that piece

To make my time worthwhile.

“And in the dark, merciless nights

I find it hard to catch some sleep.

For how can I close my eyes

When all I can do is think...

“I've got to find that missing part,

to make the machine complete.

I'll fix it and bring it back to life

So that it's heart may always beat.

“I've got a man to govern me

Ready to strike from his throne

But that part is long lost you see

For I'm searching all alone.”

The days had turned to months

As he worked down in his crypt.

And when he'd say no word to me

I cloud tell that he'd slipped.

I asked him what brought him down

But he simply left through the door.

While that factory billowed dark smoke

As the machine continued to roar.

Well, one day he strolled past the pipes

Where the light crept through the dust

It was shining there the entire time

Somehow avoiding the rust.

Alas he found the missing part

And as he reached out to grab it

He jumped back in surprise

For he had felt another hand.

He looked at her as she looked back

While the machines, they buzzed behind.

And those two stood in silence

Searching for words they could not find.

In the arms of these two strangers

the machine fell asleep that night.

And while the iron began to cool

The smoke had changed to white.

They learned all about freedom

Free from any steel confine.

As quietly they whispered

"At last, you're mine..."

He finally turned back around

Emerging from his cave.

And the boy who never spoke truth

Let it out like a wave.

“All my life,” he said.

“I've been looking for that piece

To make the machine stop breaking

to give myself some peace.”

“And all my life,” he'd say.

“I've worked in a mirror

and that loyalty to the machine

I now realize was my own fear.”

“And all my life,” he'd say.

“I've locked myself in prison.

I have hid inside this beast

Pretending I could understand.”

“And all my life,” he'd say

“The machine would degrade

But alas good sir, I found it!

I think my life's been made.”

“Cause I've found the missing part

To make this machine complete.

It's fixed now and brought back to life

And it's heart will forever beat!”

Because there once was...

But never again will there be

A young, ironhand factory boy

A young, ironhand, machine.

Author's Note

What do you think of the message? It is meant to be sung, with a guitar 'folk' style. So consider that as well.