The Introvert
The Introvert (Poem)
Consider the ants, forget not the bees
Their underground empires and hives in the trees
You tread 'cross the surface, not realizing they're there
You see the hives hanging, but know not the lair
Constructed within, where tunnels run deep
Where kingdoms are ruled by those who don't sleep
The tiniest beings all working as one;
Architects of destiny are never quite done
They speak with the others, then go on their way
They’re much less productive the longer they stay
But outside of bees, and ants underground
Their counterpart beings exist to confound
All those unlike them - the wilder world
Who seek to make sense of why they’d be curled
Up on a couch and pondering life
Than “living it up” on Saturday nights
The reticent puzzle is not meant to be solved,
But the world around - by the deeply involved:
The ones with their faces buried in books
Or lost deep in thought than focused on looks
But for those who aren’t sure and seek just to know
How to be with these people if words do not flow
Lend me your ear, for there are two kinds:
The awkwardly quiet, and those you will find
Out and about, and blending in well
Then not see for a while once they’ve said “farewell”
But type-case them not, for none are the same
You don't know the person, you just know their name.
The silent one speaks in stillness not words
Use only your ears and all goes unheard
But sense with the spirit, perceive with the mind
And all that is sought appears in due time
Mistake not their silence for nothing to say
For motionless tongues dance mental ballets
When the curtain is up, and you can't see behind
Their ballet plays on, its existence defined
By not what you see, or hear, or assume
But how long you'll wait for the seed just to bloom
And if you don't see that seed growing tall
Remember its roots - how deeply they crawl
You could dig it up to look underneath
But why be the blade when you could be its sheath?
Protecting the one with thoughts running deep
Who dwell in the peace of Solitude's Keep
To live in the mind is to strengthen the soul
But live on the lips, and gone is control.
The other kind blends in exceedingly well
They’ll drink with you, laugh with you, have stories to tell
But keep them too long, or see them too often
And the strength of your bond will seem like it’s softened
But don’t worry, friend, they just need some time
To do things alone and recharge their mind.
When they are ready, you’ll see them again
And things will resume as things were back then.
So learn from the ants, forget not the bees
And if you feel lost, then think upon these
To guide you in times the simple’s complex
When concavities perplex the Convex
Each one of us, we crave stimulation
Or are banished to boredom and total sedation
The introvert’s fire comes from within
Fueled by ideas and concepts than din.
And like the bee’s hive, although it looks small
It’s massive inside - an abyss in a ball.
So if they seem distant, or your paths haven’t crossed
Just let them be, for not all who wander are lost.
- A. J. Darkholme
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The Introvert (Lyrics)
[Intro]
"Hey man!
There's a party this weekend...
You wanna come?"
...*Introvert exhales*...
[Verse 1]
Welcome to the surface
The side that I show
A smiling face waiting
For cues from below
Where tunnels run deeper
Than anthills and hives
Where teams of researchers
Scramble 'round the archives
[Bridge]
Hurry up down there, people!
It's now time to speak...
If I don't respond soon...
They'll all think I'm a freak...
[Chorus]
Not all who wander are lost!
And my mind is the same!
Is it worth the cost
To trip up and sound lame?
So here in my thoughts
Of spaghetti and knots
I have bells going off
Like the Hunchback of Notre Dame
(Oh-oh... Dame)
[Verse 2]
The silent one speaks
Through stillness not words
Use only your ears
And all goes unheard
But sense with your spirit
Perceive with your mind
And all that you seek
Will appear in due time.
Mistake not my silence
For nothing to say
For motionless tongues
Dance mental ballets
When the curtain is up,
And you can't see behind
The ballet plays on,
Its existence defined
By not what you see
Or hear
Or assume
But how long you'll wait
For the seed just to bloom
And if you don't see
That seed growing tall
Remember its roots
And how deeply they crawl
You could dig it up
To look underneath
But why be the blade
When you could be its sheath?
Protecting the one
With thoughts running deep
Who take comfort
In the peace
Of Solitude's Keep
[Breakdown]
To live in my mind
Is to strengthen my soul
But by live-streaming words...
I lose all control...
[Bridge]
Don’t mistake silence
For nothing inside
There's a storm in my mind
Not sure what to hide
Or the best thing to show
Or the right thing to say
Because, God-forbid,
It comes out as cliché!
The words may be frozen...
But the potential's pure fire!
I'm just running scenarios
So nothing backfires.
[Verse 3]
Some hide away
Into peace we retreat
Expanding our roots
That stretch deeper than feet
We recharge our spirit
We fill up our minds
And we're genuinely sorry
It takes so much time!
While others will blend in
Exceedingly well...
We’ll drink with you
Laugh with you
Have stories to tell
But keep us too long
Or see us too often
And the strength of our bond
Will seem like it’s softened
But truly, it's not!
We love you the same!
We're not all stuck-up
And we're not playing games
There's just something about
Curling up by the flame
To deepen our minds...
That's our domain.
[Final Verse]
So learn from the ants
Forget not the bees
Their underground kingdoms
And hives in the trees...
There's things we don't show...
There's things we don't say...
But just get to know us...
It'll come out some day!
My words might get frozen
But when each thought's a flame
You'd better believe
IT'S WORTH KNOWING MY NAME!
[Outro]
Oh-oh...
Oh-oh...
Whoa-oh...