There's a beast in every man who breathes With him from birth until beside him in the grave A hideous presence just aching for release Its chains aren't as strong as its memory It lies dormant so far from dead Grating on me, this uninvited sense Its whisper like branches as they bend Twisting, grinding Just threatening to snap Floods of frustration Cascading in my skull On the axis back and forth The swinging pendulum So much damage, bashing each wall I hear the sand pounding in the hourgla** As it falls Sometimes I just wish I could shut it all Off, off The endless rage, that tells me something's Off, off The voice that's spitting lies, just turn it Off, off Tear away the scabs, I want them Off, off The demon on my back Just pull him off There it is again Telling you you can't That lump in your throat You fight to swallow back There it is again Hoping that you won't Wishing failure but not giving up the ghost Silent voices, stabbing at peace Pushing off fingers from the edge of sanity Like a thousand leeches Feeding on your wits Making something meaningless seem significant Sometimes I just wish I could shut it all Off, off The endless rage, that tells me something's Off, off The voice that's spitting lies, just turn it Off, off Tear away the scabs, I want them Off, off The demon on my back Just pull him off This uninvited guest inside my brain With every threat whispered I feel nothing And when I'm at my best it intervenes How can I get anyone else to relate? Silent voices, stabbing at peace On the edge, pushing my fingers off, off Off, off The endless rage, that tells me something's Off, off The voice that's spitting lies, just turn it Off, off Tear away the scabs, I want them Off, off The demon on my back Just tear him off