In Vicious Circles by Kiley Reagan

This is the second song version of this poem I wrote for my book, Deep back in 2019 by the same title. 

The first one was a hip/hop version by Persephone Page. 

I will include notes and some of the instructions along with the lyrics~

Verse 1

(soft, whispered vocals + distant reversed piano)
Am                  F
In light of all I’ve come to know
Dm                  Em
I now know all too much
Am                  F
In darkness pondered all alone
Dm                  Em
Yet light I’m yet to touch  Verse 2
Am                  F
The whispers heard I did conclude
Dm                  Em
Were those they spoke in vain
Am                  F
For profit and for prosper
Dm                  Em
Did the masses play this game  Pre-Chorus (building tension, rising filter sweep)
Am                  F
Where are the ones that held me high?
Dm                  Em
Take your five minutes, then forget that I’m alive
Am                  F
I wrote for you a quote or two
Dm                  Em
I thought we shared… then I…  Chorus (full drums drop, heavy sidechain)
Am          F          Dm         Em
Is it all a game to you? Do you sit and spit, collect
Am          F          Dm         Em
The secrets of the shy, the few, that in truth do reflect
Am          F          Dm         Em
Like the mirror on the wall which shows the fairest of the vain
Am          F          Dm         Em
Who be consumed so by their falsities that truth know not their name  

[SYNTH SOLO – MIDWAY POINT]

Bridge (half-time feel, almost spoken)
Am                  F
The end is a song for the dead
Dm                  Em
That speaks only from the stone
Am                  F
Like a ghost wrapped up in quotes
Dm                  Em
We’ve etched on markers that bemoan  Am                  F
The life they’ve lived and things they’ve learned
Dm                  Em
Once hoped to see us through
Am                  F
These things which bring us plight
Dm                  Em
Should serve uplift should we ensue…  Final Chorus (double length – bigger, layered harmonies)
Am          F          Dm         Em
In vicious circles do we spin
Am          F          Dm         Em
In ignorance we die
Am          F          Dm         Em
Pernicious lips the path they lend
Am          F          Dm         Em
Serve send our search awry  Am          F          Dm         Em
In vicious circles we exist
Am          F          Dm         Em
For to feed the beast that’s spawned
Am          F          Dm         Em
For beast be all the reason
Am          F          Dm         Em
We might need for to abscond  Am          F          Dm         Em
In vicious circles time does stop
Am          F          Dm         Em
We drop, we spin around
Am          F          Dm         Em
For time runs not on lines
Am          F          Dm         Em
We serve our time till right come round  

(Outro (everything strips back to just the glitching synth from the solo, slowly fading into vinyl crackle and a single reversed heartbeat)