Clockwork Kingdom

Verse 1 Punch in the dark, punch out at night Trading my hours for borrowed light Concrete sunrise, factory sky Dreams on hold just to get by Paper crowns and plastic smiles “Climb the ladder” — just more miles Every rung just feels the same Different number, same old chain Pre-Chorus They say, “Work hard and you’ll be free” But freedom’s priced beyond my reach I build a palace I won’t own Brick by brick, but not my home Chorus We’re just sparks in a machine Fueling someone else’s dream Running fast but standing still Paying rent to climb a hill While the golden children play In the sunlight of their day We survive to keep it turning They call it living — we call it earning Verse 2 Time is something I can’t keep Sold by the hour, cheap and deep Every weekend disappears Drowned in debts and quiet fears They inherit open doors We inherit endless floors Marble halls and trust fund skies While we rent our alibis Pre-Chorus They say, “That’s just the way it goes” Like gravity, like broken bones But gravity don’t take your name And broken backs don’t share the blame Chorus We’re just sparks in a machine Fueling someone else’s dream Running hard on borrowed breath One promotion from collapse While the chosen few decide What’s a “raise” and what’s “the tide” We survive to keep it turning They call it living — we call it earning Bridge Is this freedom? Is this choice? Or just a well-trained, quiet voice? Telling us to stand in line Trade our pulse for overtime They own the minutes, own the land We just bleed into their plans And if we break, we’re “weak” or “lazy” Funny how the cage looks “crazy” Final Chorus (bigger, defiant) We’re more than sparks in their machine More than gears in what they scheme We are thunder under steel Waiting for the cracks to heal Let the golden children see Time is worth more than currency We were born to live, not serve And one day we’ll take what we deserve Outro Tick-tock kingdom… Steel and glass… If time is money — We want it back.