The Hammer's Strike

storm is approaching that's pulling us down
keeping our backs turned, we leave ourselves bound
creating the tempest we're trying to still
often forgetting we write our own will

CHORUS:
The hammer strikes hard searching for vengeance
the toll is high for a carried out sentence
when the gavel descends your freedom ends
and the cost of your choice like lightning descends

All your life you've kept your motives concealed
and now at last we find the reason revealed
always trying to put your guilt on the shelf
avoiding the term that you bring on yourself

CHORUS

Enter the shrink who will search to find reason
say that who you are can change like the season
try and talk your way out claiming life has been bad
point the finger to mom and surely to dad

It's been brought to my attention
that the need for this detention
is not for you to pay your due
but for me to work and pay for you

Confess what you've done
deceive no one
support what you show
prove what you know

Why don't you take what's coming?
why don't you stop running?
if this is what justice demands
then the price is out of your hands

When you try and lay blame
where it doesn't belong
all you see is a mirror
though the sentence you bear
fails to undo the wrong
does it bring redemption nearer?

Attorneys represent
our country's slow descent
sometimes it seems that their aim
is to feed the corruption's flame

So many alibis
that hide too many lies
that lead us from the truth
so the courts become no use

The gavel that lies in your hand
is the power that rules the land
the witness that lies at the stand
is the coward the criminal planned

Won't someone please, please tell me
how we can let it slide so far
won't someone please, please show me
how we've reached the point where we are

What's gone wrong, what's the cause?
without enforcement what good are laws
what good is time if it doesn't fit the crime
what good are judges who aren't worth a dime

The gavel that lies in your hand
is the power that rules the land
the witness that lies at the stand
breaks the oath that was made with his hand

We let ourselves be overrun
when we fail to convict the guilty
and the hammer's strike sets free
those who plague society