Blood Owed, Paid in Lead

Heard your name in the iron rain, Etched on the grip of a sinner’s vein Ledger’s heavy, the numbers bled— Every mark a prayer the bullets read You took my sun, you burned my bread, Left my house talkin’ to the dead I carved a road through dust and dread, For one last word we ain’t yet said

I kept the oath I swore that night, In the mirror’s ash and the lantern light

Blood owed, paid in lead— That’s the gospel of the misled I don’t bring mercy; I bring the debt Signed in smoke, collected in red Blood owed, paid in lead— Name your prayer and load your dread The law rides late, but I ride set— Blood owed, paid in lead

Your laughter lived in a coward’s throat, Silver lies in a vulture’s coat You sold the town a holy tale, Then nailed my heart to a crooked rail The church bell cracked at Widow’s Gate, The clock spat rust and counted fate I kissed the ring I used to wear, Dropped it in dust—now I ride bare

I kept the oath like steel keeps cold, Like winter keeps the graveyard old

Blood owed, paid in lead— That’s the hymn for the walking dead I don’t seek heaven; I seek the debt Stamped in ash where your shadow fled Blood owed, paid in lead— Call your saints, call what’s left The night keeps score; I keep the rest— Blood owed, paid in lead

You can run that mouth to the canyon rim, But the echo rides back carryin’ him You can hide your sins in a borrowed bed, But debt finds bone, and bone finds lead

I ain’t wrath, I ain’t grace— I’m the ink on the collector’s face Fate wrote you small in a hawk’s-eye thread, I bring the line where the story’s read

Blood owed, paid in lead— I came to cash what the darkness said No last sermon, no white flag spread, Only the truth that kicks and begs Blood owed, paid in lead— Your trail ends where my boots have bled The dawn burns slow, the sky turns red— Debt paid. Paid in lead.

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