#shayfer james starters

[memoryprompts]

THE NINTH HOUR SENTENCE STARTERS / PART 2

( * a series of prompts taken from shayfer james and kate douglas' rock-noir reimagining of the epic poem beowulf. feel free to adjust as needed. / PART 1

Punish You. ( TW: asphyxiation )

"I swear I'll leave a scar."

"I'll mark you for the beast you are."

"It won't be gentle, clean, or quick."

"You'll taste the blood upon my lips."

"I will feast upon this fad."

"I will swallow you entire."

"I will punish you."

"You belong to me."

"I swear I'll leave a bruise."

"I'll take the breath away from you."

"My heavy hands around your throat."

"I'll teach you what it means to choke."

"We're all guilty of something."

Lullaby.

"There is a memory."

"You took me to the river."

"You taught me how to swim."

"You sang for me a lullaby."

"How did it go again?"

"The moon is new, the wood is dark, the sun has died."

"But I am here, my darling dear."

"Come sit by my side."

"The stars are black, the air is still, the sky is wide."

"Don't worry, dry your eyes."

"It occurred to me."

"I never learned to float."

"Oh, this tragedy."

"My life has made a mess of me."

"With all this wasted energy."

"All my life you taught me."

"People can't be trusted."

"We have to fight to stay alive."

"We'll always be the enemy."

"Eye for eye, and limb for limb."

"I've grown tired of this."

"There's beauty and there's empathy."

"Some people might have cared for me."

"I hid my heart and stayed inside."

"I'm tired of this."

Life is Beautiful.

"I think I've found passage out of here."

"I'll become a messenger of fate."

"The beast is dead."

"The road ahead is clear."

"So raise a glass, we have cause to celebrate."

"So drink to the dawn."

"We'll be home."

"Life is beautiful."

"Save all your prayers while we're good."

"I think I see the sunlight peeking through."

"The time of fear and feebleness is done."

"I'll become a legend thanks to you."

"So raise a glass."

"The battle has been won."

"And if another comes, you go ahead."

"I'll meet you there."

Can't Go Back.

"This vicious beast has struck at home."

"We're on our knees."

"But we are not alone."

"Our hero's here."

"Her sword is stained with blood."

"One beast is dead."

"But that is not enough."

"So we can't go back now."

"This time is now."

"You swore you'd see this through."

"It's eye for eye, it must be tooth for tooth."

"This brutal beast must die in agony."

"For her offense."

"For this catastrophe."

"If we are to stay alive, then the beast cannot survive."

What They Want (Reprise).

"There is a wall, through which I dare not step."

"We have been warned time and time again."

"There is a lantern, shinning back upon this winter's day."

"And a castle in the corner of my eye."

"I am equal parts a criminal and king."

"And I was still to be the master of a fate."

"This is what I want."

"This is what I'm here for."

"This is who I am."

"This is what I came for."

"There is a river bank we sinners must ascend."

"I'd rather be someone who burns than someone who hesitates."

"I am equal parts a monster and a fool."

"And I was born to be a ruler of the cruel."

Fate Goes.

"I've been waiting for this moment to arrive."

"I can see you for the monster that you are."

"A predator in the dark."

"A beast without a heart."

"I've come for you."

"They say the road to hell is paved with good intentions."

"But I had none to start."

"So where am I then?"

"I will surrender to the tide."

"Let the water be my guide."

"I am a wave on the ocean wide."

"Fate goes, as ever fate must."

"Fate is the only one thats just."

"Fate I trust."

"Ashes to ashes, dust to dust."

"It's been written in the stars that you will fall."

"But I'm certain you won't go quietly."

"A spineless creature in the dark."

"Fate goes."

"As ever fate must."

"The same as me."

Epilogue.

"The warrior returns."

"The warrior returns with blood on her hands."

"Our hero will never die."

"As long as we sing praises."

"As long as we write history from the right side."

"You have hunted down a wanted thing."

"The glory of the offering."

"Peace has finally been restored."

"We will sing your praise forevermore."

"Thank god your bloody aim is true."

"Thank god our good king sent for you."

"Thank the lord, his will is done."

"You came and rescued everyone."

"I've sung this song a thousand times before."

"And I'll be made to sing it more."

"I've grown tired of this."

"Eye for eye, and limb for limb."

"The blood that I've been swimming in."

"Tell me there's another song."

"Tell me there's another."

[slightly-warmer-hibiscus-tea]

do you listen to music when you work on art? if you do, do you listen to stuff that matches the vibe of what you're working on, or just whatever you feel like listening to? the atmosphere of your pieces go hard. they're really immersive and makes me feel instead of just "see," if that makes any sense. artists can nail technical stuff like anatomy, color theory, perspective, and whatever, but the way you combine everything is next-level. beyond just being skilled like "this looks good," your work really pulls you into the mood/message. i zoom into your art and get lost in the sauce. love your work so much <3

For starters this is like such a huge compliment, thank you!<3

Funny enough I just got done throwing a fit over my headphones dying right before I could start on request.

I really know nothing about music, so I just listen to whatever tickles my brain on repeat most of the time. So warning on whatever I say because I've been told my taste sucks… But I listen to vibes I associate with the character I'm working on. Though this process is pure projection on my part, seeing a lot of the music is stuff I already listen to… Some examples like:

For Leander, I put on Shayfer James, if we're being more specific "For the Departed"… And if the piece calls for some Leander silly bitch mode, we throw in some musical theater "Trust Me" from Devil's Carnival (Note: We are a BIT conflicted about this one nowadays, but surface level it works…) then to fill the air a dash of instrumental from The Last Werewolf… When it comes to Ais it's straight Mother Mother.

We might also throw personal songs in the mix to keep my brain stimulated, so we juggle through Mitski and Dirt Poor Robins here and there.

Also, bless ya'll who make TS playlists! Forgive me my memory is shit, but whoever put Talia and Leander together you have my whole fucking heart!!!

I also make a playlist for different OCs and play it when I'm working on them (I'm still in the process of getting Noble's up and running, but I have one for my other two MCs. which has some of the same songs in both because they're story intertwine in some ways. I could honestly ramble just about the thought process behind the playlist, but I should probably save that idea for the 29th or something because I'm not even sure if that would be interesting to read.)

But yeah, that's the Hibiscus/Ak music ramble… A while back I had to make a bio for my school art portfolio and threw in that I wanted to make sure every picture told a story... Music definitely plays a part in the process, I don't know how big or small a part but it's definitely a part^^;

[dorktapus42]

[Pulls out list] going by genre real quick

- rock: Biting Elbows, Shorten The Longing is my favorite album if you want a starter, can't go wrong there

-blues ish depending on the mood: Shayfer James (Villanous Thing is a bop, but he's got a beowulf adaptation online if you want a random 45 min musical to kill time with that's dece)

- filk: Space Heroes and Other Fools by Julia Ecklar and Anne Harlan Prather

Metal (my usual tbh):

- metal but pirates: Alestorm

- fantasy metal: Rhapsody of Fire

- acapella metal covers: Van Canto

Good Instrumental (I use it for DnD):

- Vindsvept

All chosen for the lack of needing to listen to a whole album :)

All the music I listen to these days is from movies or video games and it's getting old. I need some new songs to listen to NOW!!! Or I'll DIE!!!

[jothrpmemes]

lyric starters - shayfer james.

counterfeit arcade.

“that’s just the weight of the world.”

“the weak and the weary will never survive.”

“we do what we must to get by.”

“the long forgotten have a habit for collecting loans.”

“just a moment.”

“i heard someone at the door.”

“save yourself.”

“dry your eyes and count to ten.”

“i am bitter to the bone.”

“i’m growing rather fond of the wandering alone.”

“forget the man i used to be.”

“i must finish what i started.”

“i have no time for second chances.”

“there’s a mean storm coming.”

“i know we’re far beyond the point of no return.”

“this is the end.”

“i do believe that we’ve a lesson left to learn.”

“do you recall the day when we went wrong?”

“your laughter lingers on.”

“wherever you have gone, we’ll see you there.”

“the passing year did not deserve you.”

“me and you are overdue for fiendish laughter.”

“you’re a villainous thing.”

“you’ll find no ever-after here.”

“it’s clear that isn’t what you came for.”

“they’ve come before, and many more will try to strike me down.”

“hear my battle cry!”

“you’ll sacrifice the truth to justify your sins.”

“i don’t need an excuse to let the darkness in.”

“i’d rather live alone than live a lie.”

“i will never deserve peace.”

“a stitch of hope remains.”

“they can’t save us, but they’ll do the best they can.”

“let us pause and be thankful for this evening.”

“i’ve been the portrait of despair.”

“i’ve been a bastard and a fool.”

“i believe i’m worth redemption.”

“there’s many ways to hide a heart that bleeds.”

“you’ve got some nerve to be coming around with that smile on your face.”

“i know i’ll see you again.”

“been a while.”

“let me be perfectly clear.”

“get yourself–get the hell–get yourself out of here.”

“i’ll always call you a friend indeed.”

“lord, how i’ve missed you.”

“we’ve got damage to do.”

“of all of my friends, you know, you are the one i like best.”

[rattmemes]

Shayfer James: Hope and a Hand Grenade Starters

[ change pronouns and such as needed!]

Mercy Down

“ There’s a dead canary in the coal mine ” “ A lamb’s dead growing from a grape vine ” “ There’s an old man laughing in the back yard ” “ I’ve been waiting for my woman to relieve me ” “ [She’s] outside climbing on the oak tree ” “ It’s getting biblical now ” “ Better pick your weapons up ” “ Better pick your weapons up and throw your mercy down ” “ It’s getting mythical now ” “ There’s a mad man tapping at the window ” “ A pocket full of innuendo ” “ There’s a joker pokin’ at the doorbell ” “ A sparrow drowning in the ink well ” “ I’ve been waiting for my lover to relieve me ” “ They’re outside swinging from the oak tree ” “ There’s a tyrant on the throne ” “ A clown on every screen ” “ Compelling us to stay at home ” “ This low grade fever dream ” “ We’re gathering our strength ” “ We’re becoming less afraid ” “ There is hope for us in this unholy mess we’ve made ”

Ophelia

“ Forgotten how to dance ” “ Reminded [she] should smile ” “ Veil is just a clever word for mask ” “ Remembers how to hide ” “ Sing a down ” “ Forgotten how to love ” “ Reminded not to scream ” “ Promises are clever ways to bluff ” “ Remembers how to dream ” “ Forgotten how to sleep ” “ Reminded not to grieve ” “ Have and hold are clever words for keep ” “ Remembers how to leave ”

Boots Worn Through

“ I read the story of a boy, he ran away and he never called home ” “ Lately I’m told he is happy alone and he makes a good living digging up bones ” “ I had a dream of me and you, we lived the life of the fanciful few ” “ We’re gonna walk until our boots wear through ” “ We’ve miles to go and there’s much to do ” “ Every good story begins with an end ” “ We’re gonna walk until we start anew ” “ I read the story of a girl ” “ [She] climbed [her] way up to the top of the sky, and that’s where [she] lives and [she] will till [she] dies ” “ You were a goddess in my dream ” “ We lived the life of a king and queen ” “ Wherever we go, they’ll never be able to follow ” “ We’re gonna walk until we start again ”

Day of Reckoning

“ There ain’t no rule underneath our thumb, the day of reckoning has come ” “ There ain’t no rule underneath our thumb ” “ The day of reckoning has come ” “ Everyone’s who’s silenced is rising up ” “ Tired of the violence ” “ This isn’t an opinion, enough’s enough ” “ Everyone we’ve silenced is rising up ”

Mostly Major Chords

“ [She] found me forty years from now, a shadow of myself ” “ [Her] youth was black mascara and red wine ” “ We talked for hours ” “ We talked for hours on how I thought I’d seen [her] somewhere else ” “ [She] was there beside me when I died ” “ What’s the point in counting when a minute is a year ” “ Every lover has their time ” “ What’s the point in waiting when you’re gone before you’re here ” “ [She] found me seven years ago in some piano bar ” “ [She] told me I’d be paramount someday ” “ [She] smile that kind of smile that builds a fire in the dark ” “ A little [boy] who fell and scraped [his] knee ” “ [She] told me I was beautiful and took away my hurt ”

Crack A Bottle, Run A Bath

“ It’s never just a letter, if it follows [her] from Paris ” “ It’s never just a phone call, if it finds [him] in a booth ” “ A lover may be clever, but that doesn’t mean they’re honest ” “ Don’t offer me philosophy, I’ve come here for the truth ” “ Crack a bottle, run a bath; we’ve got some trouble to speak of ” “ Crack a bottle, run a bath ” “ We’ve got some trouble to speak of ” “ We’ll have a good cry ” “ We’ll have a good cry, and after that, these are the things we should do ” “ It’s never just a whisper, if it meets [her] by the boathouse ” “ It’s never just a whisky, if it keeps [him] from betraying ” “ A lover may be wonderful, but everybody’s broken ” “ We’ll have a good fuck, and a good laugh ” “ We’ll have a good fuck ” “ We’ll have a good fuck, and a good laugh, maybe dinner at midnight ” “ Maybe dinner at midnight ”

[occasionalrpmemes]

Shayfer James: Counterfeit Arcade Sentence Starters, pt. ii

lines taken from the last six songs on the 2011 album Counterfeit Arcade.  [pt i]

“I stumbled out into the cold.”

“I saw the phantoms of my friends, but they were gone too soon.”

“They’ve come before, and many more will try to strike me down.”

“If you make it out alive, the devil will be waiting by your door.”

“You’ll sacrifice the truth to justify your sins.”

“I don’t need an excuse to let the darkness in.”

“I’d rather live alone than live a lie.”

“I will never deserve peace.”

“There’s trouble in my bones.”

“I spoke to the ghost on my way to asleep.”

“I will never deserve peace. I will never deserve peace. I will never deserve peace.”

“We’re digging up hatchets today.”

“A stitch of hope remains in this hell that we’ve raised.”

“We’re witnessing the waking of the dead.”

“We’re burying mercy and grace in unmarked, shallow graves.”

“The piper must be paid.”

“Let us pause and be thankful for this evening, and the fact that we are breathing.”

“Maybe living has a meaning after all.”

“There’s a plan for us lunatics and liars.”

“We have faulty gears and wires.”

“They can’t save us.”

“They can’t save us, but they’ll do the best they can.”

“Lover, lover, weep for me no more.”

“I’ve been right here under the willow.”

“I think I found my soul.”

“I’ve been the portrait of despair.”

“I’ve been a captive and a coward.”

“Thunder shook me to the core.”

“Punish me no more.”

“I’ve been a bastard and a fool.”

“I’ve been a bastard and a fool, but I believe I’m worth redemption.”

“I believe I’m worth redemption.”

“There’s many ways to hide a heart that bleeds.”

“There’s many ways to hide a heart that bleeds, but I prefer the ease of rolling up my sleeves.”

“You’ve got some nerve to be coming around.”

“You’ve got some nerve to be coming around with that smile on your face.”

“I used to be someone that you could believe, but it’s been a while.”

“Good luck, godspeed, I know I’ll see you again.”

“Funny how the night is not as long, when you depend upon the dark before the dawn.”

“There’s many ways to right a thing that’s wrong.”

“You smile, you move along.”

“Let me be perfectly clear.”

“Get yourself- get the hell- get yourself out of here.”

“I’ll always call you a friend indeed.”

“Lord, how I’ve missed you.”

“Just put your feet up, friend.”

“I read all your postcards.”

“Let me light that for you- seems your hand’s a bit shaky.”

“We’ve got damage to do.”

“Of all of my friends, you know, you are the one I like best.”

[paramounticebound]

@quietresistance​ ♥’d for a lyric starter! || Song: For the Departed by Shayfer James

      “Save yourself, I am far beyond repair,” breath invaded the lungs, expanding them until he was certain they’d explode and leave his chest a beautiful array of blood and ribbon. From there, clutching gaping wounds that bordered on fatal, he pieced what he could together. A thrall to gravity, a crashed ship that offered only shrapnel and flame. Luck, or something far crueler, had kept him from expiring upon impact. Augmented cells, while rapid regeneration remained the norm, still required assistance. The only cloth immediately available had been his own clothing, which he’d torn and tied into a tourniquet, though the bleeding had long since stopped.

     “They will bury me alive, though I am not inclined to care-- I am too far gone now.”

[zuccheroali]

Shayfer James Counterfeit Arcade lyric starters !!

Filthy Habit

hope is not lost

love is not kind 

i’m happy you’re here

we may find some sleep tonight

make an example of me 

teach a machine how to bleed 

i'm howling at the moon for you

it's so lonely, so lonely here

be my filthy habit

be my danger and my drug

Devil Throw Roses

you left with no intention of return

we danced down the stairs into hell 

one day I will see you again

a ghost of good intention can behave the way it pleases

i left with no intention of return 

we waded in the water

Tiny Gods

my crooked back was built for teeth and claws

the bloody wrath of Tiny Gods

tear at me

tear at me until i'm tame 

this is what i was manufactured for 

the dirt, the dark, the art of war 

punish me, until i'm saved

the night is mine 

i will worship as i please

guide me from this hell of hope 

look at me, look at me

cut me with your vicious tongue 

make me taste what i've become 

the violence, the perfect prayer

Carnival In Harlem

i'm on my way to see her

there will be no such thing as home 

certainly, i agree this feels right 

your invitation tempts me so 

a former me would stay the night 

but there is somewhere I must go 

lately i've been half alive and wounded 

ravaged by the wolves and left for dead 

it's true I really hate to do this 

i'm a fascinating liar 

we're a building on fire

For Wolves

there isn't religion for wolves 

i haven’t been sleeping

i still have this scar on my ribs 

i haven't been sober for more than a day at time

i keep my company seldom and strange

you are the reason

Charlie, My Girl

i hope that you're happy

come find me

when you're ready for me

the days are too long

the nights are too rough

i can't keep believing

i’m not good enough

[memoryprompts]

THE NINTH HOUR SENTENCE STARTERS / PART 1

( * a series of prompts taken from shayfer james and kate douglas' rock-noir reimagining of the epic poem beowulf. feel free to adjust as needed. / PART 2

Prologue.

"Listen."

"Listen to the sea."

"Feel the water at your feet."

"This is how the tide behaves."

"We're swept along an open sea."

"We are drifting endlessly."

"The tide will rise, the tide will fall."

"And in the end it takes us all."

"We try again to tell the story."

"Cities built will fall to flood."

"And we will scrape them from the mud."

"The victors write our history by conjuring the enemy."

"We're at the mercy of the swell."

"It beckons us, and bids farewell."

"We build a cradle from our grave."

"Ebb and flow."

"The villains go."

"The heroes go."

Pile of Bones.

"I watch them through their windows."

"I stalk them in the street."

"They don't see me."

"They keep me company."

"I would rather be a monster than a fool."

"I'm hungry, and I've come for you."

"There's a pile of bones in the corner."

"They built these brittle walls in vain."

"They know my name."

"There's a pile of bones in the corner that I call friends."

"They satisfy my hunger."

"I wait 'till they're asleep."

"I call this chaos order."

"I call this carnage peace."

"I'm gonna grab them by their fragile throats."

"They cower at my feet."

"I will never have enough."

"I will drink of this destruction."

"I am summoning the flood."

"They scream my name."

I Believe in Peace.

"They call my name."

"Do they know what it means?"

"They ask for blood like they're dying of thirst."

"I'm a one - woman church."

"They want a savior."

"I'll be their savior."

"Give me your poor, your weak, your lost, your hopelessness."

"Don't worry, I'm here."

"I believe in peace."

"But I'll go to war for you."

"I believe in truth."

"But I would lie for you."

"I know how to cure devastation."

"See, I am salvation."

"I know how to calm a commotion."

"See, I am the chosen."

"I am a marvel."

"Carve me in marble."

"Enemies cower when I come around."

"I'm elemental, build me a temple."

"'Gonna light the way."

Family.

"You never disappoint."

"You keep us fed."

"You keep them wounded."

"But I can smell it on the wind."

"Another heathen they've recruited."

"This one is different from the rest."

"She comes in war, she comes like thunder."

"We'll lose whatever we have left."

"You must do this for your mother."

"They're hateful, they're heartless."

"They say we're the enemy."

"I'm all that you've got."

"We are blood, we are family."

"If you don't strike first, she'll take you away from me."

"I will keep you safe."

"I will be your eyes."

"I'll be your protector."

"They have no business in this place."

"And no, I will not be afraid."

"You always do as you say."

"I'll ruin all they've created."

"I will take it all away."

"No one is going to take you away from me."

"I feel it swelling like a storm."

"It's eye for eye, and limb for limb."

"It's time to end this."

Song of Praise.

"Our hero has arrived."

"I humbly submit myself at this soldier's feet."

"To sing of soldier's feats."

"Can I ask you, please."

"Do I have the blessing of addressing the one and only?"

"I'm truly at a loss."

"We must sing praises."

"We must keep her legacy alive."

"Our hero will never die."

"My clever words could never paint the picture that your name creates."

"The gory glory, the body count."

"The color of blood upon your blade."

"You put other men to shame."

"I couldn't possibly explain."

"Should I sing of monsters slain?"

"Of those you saved from certain death?"

"Let this be the day you came to fight for us and win again."

"I may run out of breath."

What They Want.

"Pivot, smile, stop."

"Make them laugh and give them what they want."

"Raise a glass."

"Praise the names of those who came before."

"Tell them fate is waiting at the door."

"This is what they want."

"This is what you're here for."

"This is who you are are."

"This is what you came for."

"Make a promise."

"Keep it modest."

"Tell them there is nothing left to fear."

"Say a changing of the tide is near."

The Flood.

"They sing their songs by firelight."

"I watch them dull their minds."

"These foolish drunks and diplomats."

"Lies and empty promises give hopeless men relief."

"Is ignorance their innocence?"

"Do they walk the world asleep?"

"I am cunning."

"They're complicit."

"I am coming."

"They dismiss it."

"Let their comforts blind them."

"I have come here to remind them."

"I am wakeful."

"I am watchful."

"I am unafraid to fight."

"I will stir you from your slumber."

"I will never say goodnight."

"I will tear you from your treasure."

"We're all guilty of something."

"For every gift, there is a sin."

"It depends on where you're standing."

"Cutting corners, casting stones."

"We are, none of us, immortal."

"We are, all of us, alone."

"For every give there is a take."

"We pretend to love the victims of the choices that we make."

"Who will save you from your shadow?"

"Who will come to your defense?"

"For every wrong, there is a right."

"We'll make any lie a lullaby."

"Every day is quiet war."

"I am here to wake you up."

"I am opening that door."

[twilightttv-a]

@alchemreign​ liked for a lyric starter ! For The Departed - Shayfer James

“ They've come for me love. Save yourself I am far beyond repair “

[rattmemes]

Shayfer James: The Owl and the Elephant Album Starters

words in [ ] are interchangeable/changeable

Life is Beautiful

“ I think I found a passage out of here ” “ Maybe we could make our great escape ” “ You didn’t think we’d make it, did you, dear? ” “ Somewhere in this dark you lost your faith ” “ ‘Cause life is beautiful ” “ Save all your prayers while [we’re] gone ” “ I think I see some sunlight peeking through ” “ It won’t be very long until [we’re] done ” “ I will be a hero, so will you ” “ Just look up and scream ” “ Hey- can any one- can anyone hear me? ” “ If they follow us, you go ahead, I’ll meet you there ”

Bayonnettes

“ Her lies match her dress ” “ His eyes speak his past ” “ Oh, this bed and this mess were both made ” “ These broken promises fix Bayonnettes ” “ This is your nightmare ” “ This is your fairytale love ” “ That look in your eyes is certain to try and divide us ” “ This is your night ” “ How will I get along? ”

Siren Song

“ [She] got the mystery of a masquerade ” “ [She] make a meal of crow and watch you beg for it ” “ [She] got the wisdom of a whispered scream ” “ [She] build your prison in a dirty dream ” “ [She] got the beauty of a thousand ships ” “ [She] break your body with her bag of tricks ” “ Surely as the moon will rise, [she’ll] fasten daggers to your eyes ” “ [She] waited for her prince to come and shot him with his royal gun ” “ Look who’s laughing now, baby ” “ Big hunter man become the prey ” “ The siren song begins to play ” “ Got the kind of love that’ll call you back ” “ It’ll bleed you there and watch you crack on the floor ” “ This has got to be the end ” “ For all this outwitting there is no forgiving ” “ You can’t go on living when Heaven’s forbidding ”

When Heaven Closes

“ We’ve a chain of bloomless roses ” “ Drink disdain in double doses ” “ Dig my grave when Heaven closes ” “ Picture me in painted poses; incomplete and out of focus ” “ And if I’m already dead, this heavy weight upon my head, a simple stone that bares my name; above, the words: himself to blame ” “ The words plead dig my grave when Heaven closes ”

Tombstone Road

“ The air in here is getting thick from all the dirty cigarette tricks ” “ I can feel my inside turning black ” “ If words were dollars I’d want mine back ” “ Everybody gather ‘round ” “ Better head for higher ground ” “ I’m gonna burn this building down ” “ You know for every Tombstone Road they pave, they're gonna throw a ticker tape parade ” “ Every thousand years that trickle by they’ll find another prophet to crucify ” “ I’m gonna burn this village down ”  “ When they’re warm and cozy in their beds ” “ We’re gonna paint ourselves black and red ” “ We’re gonna batter down the gilded doors ” “ Writing on the walls and the ceilings, and the floors ” “ Anywhere we fancy the truth belongs ” “ We’re gonna burn this city down ”

Your Father’s Son

“ Wielding words like aimless arrows ” “ You should be careful where you stand ” “ It could be days, it could be hours ” “ Every arrow’s got to land ” “ If you’re any good at riddles, you should take a crack at this ” “ If every second has a fiddle, does every razor have a wrist? ” “ It fits so well, what you’ve become ” “ Your father’s son, which will never be much of anyone ” “ Stealing time in raids and riots, now you’ve more than you can hold ” “ You’re gambling with a giant from some fiarytale you told ” “ If you’re any good at bluffing, I suggest you do it quick ” “ Everyone is next to nothing and every tock will have a tick ” “ It fits so well ” “ Your father’s son ” “ What you’ve become cannot be undone ” “ You’ll never come to much of anyone ” “ God help you if you ever need a friend ” “ God help you if you ever... Ever... ”

Every Fallen Feather

“ My angel didn’t fall, [she] landed ” “ In sprite of what Gods commanded ” “ [She] nourished my eyes wearing only [her] wings ” “ We stayed up all night doing Heavenly things ” “ [She] told me they would come find [her], that were wasn’t any way to hide [her] ” “ I bolted the doors like the fool that I am ” “ I cried in [her] arms, I am only a man ” “ That might be true, but I think much more of you ” “ For seven days I walked beside [her] ” “ For seven nights I slept inside [her] ” “I woke up with a cold on my skin and a space in place where [her] face should have been ” “ I knew that they had come to get [her] ” “ So I gathered every fallen feather ” “ [She] had warned me of this but I always refused ” “ [She] said I’d move on, because that’s what men do ” “ As the years go by, I’ll be looking to the Heavens ” “ I went to search the sky one morning ” “ I saw [her] on the ground before me, with a tear in [her] eye and a bruise on [her] chin, and a wound on [her] back where [her] wings should have been ” “ I knelt down at [her] side to touch [her] ” “ [She] told me that the fall had crushed [her] ” “ In exchange for [her] sins I’d be damned for all time ” “ [She] gave them [her] wings if it meant I’d get mine ” “ I held [her] as the sun was rising ” “ I whispered as [her] heart was fighting ” “ I’ll pray for the day that those fools follow through, ‘cause I’ll make them all pay for what they’ve done to you ”

Grind My Bones

“ I am a moment slowly dying ” “ Soon I will only cross your mind from time to time ” “ I’ll be the pattern in your ceiling cracks as you resist another glass of wine ” “ I am a solitary sentence ” “ I share not poetry or prose and everybody knows ” “ I have no marvelous inflection; just random letters grouped in lines and rows ” “ I’m waiting for the Lord up above to grind my bones ” “ The walls around us crumble ” “ Watch all the idiots and hypocrites rebel ” “ You are two dashes and a number ” “ All of your complaining couldn’t save you from yourselves ” “ You’re prayin’ to the ghost in your blood to save your soul ” “ Luckily I’m not alone, there’s many here around me ” “ In every fist there is a stone that’s set to cast ” “ Once upon a time I was lost and nothing found me ” “ You better know that when I go, I’m going fast ” “ I’m waiting for the Lord upon above to guide me home ”

Insincerely Yours

“ I do appreciate your concern ” “ I never met a match I couldn’t burn ” “ I’m designed for the strike, and inclined to ignite ” “ It’s a fact I often hesitate to tell ” “ Like a window at the bottom of a well ” “ It resides out of sight, but it shines pretty bright ” “ When you face the reflection of how far you fell ” “ Oh, the fun we’ll have ” “ I’ll be yours, with exceptions of course ” “ I’ll be insincerely yours ” “ I’ll indulge in every story that you tell ” “ You’ll be waiting for my love to keep you warm ” “ You’ll choke with remorse when my ship changes course for a port with a harbor more sturdy than yours ” “ Please believe I never meant you harm ” “ If you believe that, dear, you’ve got a lot to learn ”

For Now, Goodbye

“ There is a wall through which I dare not step ” “ Mahogany and stone ” “ We have been warned time and time again ” “ There is a lantern shining dark upon this winters day ” “ I am equal parts a criminal and a king ” “ I would steal to be the master of a thing ” “ But for now, goodbye ” “ For now ” “ For now, goodbye ” “ There’s a riverbank we sinners must descend ” “ Perhaps I’d rather be a man who burns than one who hesitates ” “ I have memorized the lines of our repose ” “ The fragrance of each mystery we compose is in my skin somehow ” “ I would tremble in the hands of my disgrace ” “ Lick the sweat of our salvation from your face ”

[occasionalrpmemes]

Shayfer James: Counterfeit Arcade Sentence Starters, pt. i

lines taken from the first five songs on the 2011 album Counterfeit Arcade.  [pt ii]

“That’s just the weight of the world.”  

“We do what we must to get by.” 

“The weak and the weary will never survive.”

“We’ll all be the weak and the weary some time.”

“The long forgotten have a habit of collecting loans.”

“Just a moment, dear, I hear someone at the door.”

“They’ve come for me, love.”

“Save yourself. I am far beyond repair.”

“They will bury me alive, but I’m not inclined to care.”

“I am too far gone now.”

“Dry your eyes and count to ten.”

“Dry your eyes and count to ten; they’ll have me on the pyre by then.”

“Forget the man I used to be.”

“Forget the man I used to be; you’ll move along more easily.”

“They’ve come for us, love.”

“Save yourself; I am bitter to the bone.”

“I am bitter to the bone, and I’ve grown rather fond of the wandering alone.”

“I’ve grown rather fond of the wandering alone.” 

“I must finish what I started.” 

“I’ll write a symphony for the departed.”

“I have no time for second chances.”

“I survive on bourbon, blood, and backward glances.”

“There’s a mean storm comin’, strong enough to cut you down.” 

“I know we’re far beyond the point of no return.” 

“Let’s say we light a fire and be the first to burn.” 

“Do you recall the day when we went wrong?”

“Ease your worried mind.”

“Ease your worried mind, we’ll be alone.”

“We’ll be alone.”

“We’ll be alone where the skies are gray, where we belong.”

“Ladies and gentlemen, this is the end.”

“I do believe that we’ve a lesson left to learn.”

“And on the way to our salvation, we’ll be making plans to overthrow the king and pick apart the promised lands.” 

“Wherever you have gone, I’ll see ya there.” 

“The mountains bow before ya.” 

“We, my friend, will meet again.” 

“Your laughter lingers on.” 

“Welcome. Won’t you come inside?” 

“Suddenly you’re very near, as I prefer you.” 

“You have always been a delicate disaster.” 

“Me and you are overdue for fiendish laughter.” 

“Oh, dear, let me see those smokey eyes.” 

“You’re a villainous thing.” 

“You’re a villainous thing and we can’t have you living a lie.”

“We can’t have you living a lie.”

“You’re a villainous thing and I don’t think anyone knows.”

“I don’t think anyone knows.” 

“Waste no worry for the world.”

“Let it be a tragedy of love and glory.”

“While they wait by gates of pearl, we’ll be building palaces in purgatory.”

“You’ll find no ever-after here. It’s clear that isn’t what you came for.”

[nohornedprince]

@descendantes​ sent the symbol for a lyric starter. Song: For the Departed · Shayfer James

“Dry your eyes and count to ten, they'll have me on the pyre by then.” He was exaggerating of course but only a bit and he had a feeling some of them would gladly put him on a pyre as the so called good guys were almost always fine with murder if it was someone they deemed evil that died. Regardless he was used to this, even among the children villains he was an outsider so of course here in the land of heroes they’d happily torment the half-undead for simply the fact that his nature was quite unavoidably associated with evil. Even the so called good undead people were rather questionable in if they were good.

[rattmemes]

Shayfer James||Counterfeit Arcade Starters

Starters from Shayfer James’ “Counterfeit Arcade” album. Words in [ ] are interchangeable or optional

Weight of the World

“ The last man standing our sinister charade ” “ He nobly knelt before us ” “ He sang our savior’s chorus ” “ We left him spinning bloody plates upon his broken blade ” “ That’s just the weight of the world ” “ We do what we must to get by ” “ The weak and the weary will never survive ” “ We do what we must to stay alive ” “ We’ll all be the weak and the weary some time ” “ Preaching pain to every unsuspecting passerby ” “ We knew [her/him/them] well before this ” “ [He/she/they] promised portraits of us ” “ We cut [her/his/their] throat ” “ In the distance we’ll hear melancholy moans ” “ The long forgotten have a habit of collecting loans ”

For the Departed

“ Just a moment dear, I hear someone at the door ” “ The beating of a heart that I hid beneath the floor ” “ They’ve come for me, love ” “ Save yourself, I am far beyond repair ” “ They will bury me alive but I’m not inclined to care ” “ I am too far gone now ” “ Dry your eyes and count to ten ” “ They’ll have me on the pyre by then ” “ Forget the man I used to be, you’ll move along more easily ” “ A moment dear, I hear someone in the hall ” “ Plundering of promises we hung up on the wall ” “ They’ve come for us, love ” “ Save yourself, I am bitter to the bone ” “ I’m growing rather fond of the wondering alone ” “ Now I must finish what I started ” “ I’ll write a symphony for the departed ” “ I have no time for second chances ” “ I survive on bourbon, blood, and backward glances ” “ Your cries become the wind ” “ A desperate please best left unheard ” “ My contrived goodbye ” “ A poet’s pantomime ” “ A drunken jester’s final words ”

Where We Belong

“ There’s a mean storm coming ” “ Strong enough to cut you down ” “ There’s a war been waging ” “ Better get the children underground ” “ I know we’re far beyond the point of no return ” “ Let’s say we light a fire and be the first to burn ” “ Do you recall the day when we went wrong? ” “ Ease your weary mind, we’ll be alone ” “ Where the skies are grey, where we belong ” “ Where we belong ” “ There’s a freight train coming, barreling around the bend ” “ There’s a red light flashing ” “ Ladies and gentlemen this is the end ” “ I do believe that we’ve a lesson left to learn ” “ Take your seats, your salutations, and your turn ” “ On the way to our salvation we’ll be making plans ” “ Overthrow the king ” “ Pick apart the promised lands ”

L.V.S

“ Oh mighty warrior ” “ Oh fervent counselor ” “ Of palest eye you were, and cautious care ” “ Your laughter lingers on ” “ Where ever you have gone I’ll see you there ” “ The mountains bow before you ” “ The clouds are open wide ” “ Your lady waiting for you ” “ We, my friend, will met again ” “ Oh gentle guardian ” “ Oh perfect paladin ” “ Cheeks of a Cheshire grin and wisdom warm ”

Villainous Thing

“ Won’t you come inside? ” “ I fear the passing year did not deserve you ” “ By some devious design ” “ You’re very near, as I prefer you ” “ You have always been a delicate disaster ” “ Fine in fire and of frame ” “ Me and you are overdue for fiendish laughter ” “ Oh, dear, let me see those smokey eyes ” “ You’re a villainous thing ” “You’re a villainous thing and we can’t have you living a lie ” “ Oh, dear, let’s remove those pretty clothes ” “ You’re a villainous thing and I don’t think anyone knows ” “ Waste no worry for the world ” “ Let it be a tragedy of love and glory ” “ Waste no worry for the world, let it be a tragedy of love and glory ” “ While they wait by the gates of pearl, we’ll be building palaces in purgatory ” “ You’ll find no ever after here ” “ You’ll find no ever after here, it’s clear that isn’t what you came for ” “ It’s clear that isn’t what you came for ” “ I’ll be your puckish puppeteer ” “ This delightful little detour ”

Battle Cry

“ I stumbled out into the cold below a thoughtless moon ” “ I saw the phantoms of my friends, but they were gone too soon ” “ My enemies began to shout and shriek ” “ A silence overwhelmed them and I began to speak ” “ Hear my battle cry ” “ Hear that mighty sound ” “ They’ve come before and many more will try to strike me down ” “ Hear that might roar ” “ If you make it out alive, the Devil will be waiting by your door ” “ I met a stranger on my way to here from God knows where ” “ [He/She/They] won my lover in a dirty game of solitaire ” “ [He/She/They] stole my crown and placed it crookedly upon [his/her/their] head ” “ He turned around, I took him down ” “ You’ll sacrifice the truth to justify your sins, but I don’t need an excuse to let the darkness in ” “ You’ll sacrifice the truth to justify your sins ” “ I don’t need an excuse to let the darkness in ”

Peace

“ I’d rather live alone than live a lie ” “ I will never deserve peace ” “ There’s trouble in my bones, a frigid tide ” “ I spoke to the ghost on my way to sleep ” “ The boards in the floor called my footsteps a thief ” “ The air tasted ashes ”

Digging Up Hatchets

“ We’re digging up hatchets today and sharpening the blades ” “ We’re digging up hatchets ” “ A stitch of hope remains ” “ This Hell that we’ve raised ” “ We’re witnessing the waking of the dead ” “ We’re ripping all the wires from our heads ” “ We’re pumping all the poison from our veins ” “ Scrubbing out these wicked stains ” “ We’re burying mercy and grace in unmarked shallow graves ” “ The piper must be paid for the tune that he played ” “ Let us pause and be thankful for this evening and the fact that we’re breathing ” “ Maybe living has a meaning after all ” “ There’s a plan for us lunatics and lairs ” “ We have faulty gears and wires ” “ They can’t save us but they’ll do the best they can ”

Under the Willow

“ [Lover] weep for me no more ” “ I’ve been right here under the willow ” “ [Mother] I think I found my soul ” “ I’ve been the portrait of despair ” “ I’ve been the portrait of despair despite this hat and badge I wear ” “ I’ve been a captive and a coward ” “ Thunder shook me to the core ” “ I was hiding under the willow ” “ [Father] Punish me no more ” “ I met a wise man under the willow ” “ [Lover] look for me no more ” “ I’ve been a bastard and a fool ” “ Rewritten nearly every rule ” “ I believe I’m worth redemption ” “ I was sleeping under the willow ”

Goodspeed

“ Funny how it’s easier to see the forest for the trees when winter steals the leaves ” “ There’s many ways to hide a heart that bleeds ” “ There’s many ways to hide a heart that bleeds, but I prefer the ease of rolling up my sleeves ” “ You’ve got some nerve to be coming around with that smile on your face ” “ I used to be someone you could believe ” “ [But] It’s been a while ” “ You’ve got some nerve to be coming around with that card up your sleeve ” “ Those thorns in your crown ” “ Good luck, godspeed ” “ I know I’ll see you again ” “ Good luck, godspeed, I know I’ll see you again ” “ Funny how the night is not as long when you depend upon the dark before the dawn ” “ There’s many ways to right a thing that’s wrong ” “ You smile, you move along ” “ I prefer a song ” “ Let me not make mazes with words, let me be perfectly clear ” “ Let me not make mazes with words ” “ Let me be perfectly clear ” “ Get the Hell out of here ” “ Get yourself out of here ” “ I’ll always call you a friend indeed ”

Have a Seat Misery

“ Have a seat misery, lord how I’ve missed you ” “ Lord how I’ve missed you ” “ Don’t go crying to me ” “ Don’t go crying to me that I kept you away for too long ” “ Just put your feet up, friend ” “ I read all your postcards ” “ In a way, I’m happy to say that you’ve never been gone ” “ Let me light that for you ” “ Seems your hand’s a bit shaky ” “ We’ve got damage to do and I know you’ll need smoke in your chest ” “ We’ve got damage to do ” “ Don’t ever mistake me ” “ Of all my friends you know you are the one I like best ”

[rattmemes]

Shayfer James: Haunted Things Album Starters

words in [ ] are interchangeable/changeable

Filthy Habit

“ Hope is not lost; it is patiently waiting for us ” “ Take off that black dress ” “ We’ll disappear ” “ Love is not kind; it’s a dirty little trick of the mind ” “ My beautiful weakness ” “ I’m happy you’re here ” “ Be my filthy habit, love ” “ Be my danger and my drug ” “ We may find some sleep tonight ” “ Do as you please ” “ Make an example of me ” “ Go until broken, and hungry for more ” “ Be what I need ” “ Teach a machine how to bleed ” “ Dismantle me ” “ Make me a storm ”

Devil Throw Roses

“ We died on every corner in the days before the flood ” “ We waded in the water, frozen fingers dipped in mud ” “ I wrote letters on the back of every napkin I could burn ” “ You left with no intention of return ” “ We danced down the stairs into Hell, and the Devil, he threw roses ” “ And the Devil will throw roses ” “ A ghost of good intention can behave the way it pleases ” “ I watched you in mirror while you prayed on rusted knees ” “ I carved letters in the top of every table I could burn ” “ I left with no intention of return ” “ One day I will see you again ” “ He’ll sing a joyful noise ” “ The Devil and the joyful noise ”

Tiny Gods

“ My crooked back was built for teeth and claws ” “ The bloody wrath of tiny gods ” “ Tear at me, tear at me ” “ Tear at me until I’m tame ” “ This is what I was manufactured for ” “ The dirt, the dark, the art of war ” “ Punish me, punish me ” “ Punish me until I’m saved ” “ The night is mine ” “ I will worship as I please ” “ Guide me from this Hell of hope ” “ Bind me tightly with your holy rope ” “ Look at me, look at me ” “ I’m nearly there ” “ Cut me with your vicious tongue ” “ Make me taste what I’ve become ” “ The violence, the violence ” “ The perfect prayer ”

Carnival in Harlem

“ There’s a Carnival in Harlem ” “ There’s a Carnival in Harlem, where my lady reads her gospel from a balcony of bones ” “ I’m on my way to see her ” “ For as long as I’m without her there will be no such thing as home ” “ Certainly, I agree this feels right ” “ Your invitation tempts me so ” “ Normally, a former me would stay the night ” “ There is somewhere I must go ” “ Lately I’ve been half alive and wounded ” “ Ravaged by the wolves and left for dead ” “ It’s true I really hate to do this ” “ There is somewhere I must go instead ” “ She believes in haunted things ” “ I’m a fascinating liar ” “ We believe in haunted things ” “ I tell you we’re a building on fire ”

For Wolves

“ You are the reason ” “ I haven’t been sleeping ” “ I still have this scar on my ribs ” “ They cut the trees down on the corner we kissed ” “ Every girl I meet has got a tattoo on her wrist ” “ You are the reason November will never be fine ” “ I haven’t been sober for more than a day at a time ” “ I keep my company seldom and strange ” “ They wake up cold beside in the shadow of your name ”

Charlie, My Girl

“ Gonna move to the mountains ” “ Goodbye, ___ my [girl] ” “ Gonna sleep by the lakeside and speak with the stars ” “ Gonna fill up the bathtub and write you a song ” “ I hope that you’re happy wherever you are ” “ I know there’s a ___ that you need to be ” “ But come find me, [kid], when you’re ready for me ” “ The days are too long and the nights are too rough ” “ I can’t keep believing I’m not good enough ”

[rattmemes]

Shayfer James: Red Room Vol. 1 Starters

words in [ ] are interchangeable/changeable

None of Thee Above

“ You flatter me With all your lovely jewelry And custom tailored tragedy ” “ It fits you like a glove ” “ [We] knew for all you said and all you’ve done that you would be the lonely one ” “ [We] know you’re right where you belong ” “ [We] hope you burn and grow to learn what you’ve done ” “ The truth you’ll find ironically is none of the above ” “ [We] watched you fumble your way home ” “ [We] watched the wounded, waiting Calling out the call ”

Carve A Smile

“ For every tear you’ve shed I’d carve a smile into my skin ” “ You have the unique ability to damage me ” “ You have seen too much and in between ” “ I can’t guarantee I’ll be the one thing you need ” “ I can’t guarantee I’ll be the one thing you need, but I won’t make a promise I can’t keep ” “ I won’t make a promise I can’t keep ” “ I can’t guarantee that you won’t pick up and leave ” “ I swear, I’ll make you smile ” “ With every kiss you make a better man of me ” “ The safe disguise of accidental lies won’t hide us here ” “ No more, my dear ” “ I would sacrifice the air that makes my body breathe If it keeps you safe ” “ I was wrong about love, I was wrong all along ” “ I was wrong about love ” “ I was wrong about life ”

Room by Room

“ I would walk through a glance and I’d stop at the stare ” “ I’d follow it down To the very last step ” “ I’d wait by the room Where your secrets are kept ” “ If you beckoned me in I would hang my black hat on a bottle of pain ” “ I’d burn every book with a villain inside ” “ I’d march through the door to you parlor of need where the glass on the floor would make weaker men bleed ” “ The weight of my words would turn slivers to dust ” “ I’ll pace for as long as I live if I must ” “ I’d pause for a time and I’d look at your world ” “ I’d fashion a rhyme For a lost little [girl] ”

Ghost Town

“ Someday we will fall like soldiers ” “ One day we will cry like men ” “ Wilted words on oaken shoulders whisper from a violin ” “ Here we wander around, slowly killing moments, in minutes and hours ” “ Now we speak in tongues and tangles ” “ Finding form in antique angles ” “ Un-adorn the doubtful dawn ” “ Here in our, dear little town ”