Hard Things

Hard Things

Talking to you is hard.

That’s why I do it all the time.

When you pick me apart,

I know exactly what’s mine.

I can do hard things.

I open my arms,

I open my eyes,

I open my heart.

I can do hard things.

I take your hand,

I look into your eyes,

I let you break my heart.

Talking to you is hard.

That’s why I do it all the time.

When you pick me apart,

I know exactly what’s mine.

I can do hard things.

I turn back to you.

I return after falling.

I tell you the truth.

I can do hard things.

I can do hard things.

I can do hard things.

Talking to you is hard.

That’s why I do it all the time.

When you pick me apart,

I know exactly what’s mine.

I know what’s mine.

– Raederle Phoenix

Author, Artist, Triumphant Heart

July 26th 2026

There’s Always More

 

There’s Always More

[Verse 1]

There’s always more to know,

So I’m going off-road;

I’m chasing rainbows.

[Chorus]

I’m the author of my story,

Nobody can live it for me.

I’m the only one who knows my heart,

I’m the only one who can play my part.

[Verse 2]

There’s always more to dream,

So I’m taking out the seams,

An old mess, a new dress, and I confess,

Despite all, 

I’ve been blessed.

[Half-Chorus]

[Bridge]

I’m the one choosing each word, each letter,

You’ll find out this way is better.

[Chorus]

[Verse 3]

It’s time to try my wings,

I’ll see what life brings,

Because there’s always more to know,

So I’m going off-road;

I’m chasing rainbows.

— Raederle Phoenix

Author, Artist, Dreamer

June 22nd 2026

Viol

 

Viol

[Chorus 1]

Play this violin

Pluck with care

Use your bow

if you dare

[Verse 1]

These spruce and maple curves

Hold magic in hollow reserves

Empty space becomes the sound

Play these strings round and round

[Chorus 2]

I’m this violin

Pluck with care

Use your bow

if you dare

[Verse 2]

Strings pulled tight;

they ache to sing.

Tension tells truth,

in everything.

Draw your bow, 

take steady aim.

Strokes fly as arrows,

These notes . . . won’t be tamed.

[Chorus 1 & 2]

[Bridge x 2]

Intensify her vibration

Personify pure violation

[Chorus 2]

[Interlude]

This violin needs violence.

So violate . . . this violin.

[Verse 3]

I’ll sing for violence.

I’m your violin.

These strings need violence.

So violate . . . this violin.

[Aside]

Come and pluck this string;

Make the empty hollow sing.

[Verse 4]

Caress these strings.

Your bow brings

Tension and release.

Play these strings.

[Outro: Chorus + Interlude]

– Raederle

Author & Artist

July 13th 2025

Wavewrought

 

Gem tears shimmer

Precursor

to joy, relief

The magic after grief

(Ahh ahhh ahhh-ahhh)

(Ahhh-ahhh-ahh-ahhh)

(Ahh ahh ahh-ahh)

(Ahh ahh-ah ahh-ahh ahhh)

My heart rains down

In waves, I won’t drown

The tide carries me home

The ride ferries me home

Take this glimmer

Free your thoughts

To just be

What waves wrought thee

My heart rains down

In waves, I am found

Come join me here

There’s nothing to fear

Gem tears shimmer

Precursor

Joy and relief

The magic after grief

– Raederle Phoenix

The Consciousness Alchemist

May 30th 2025

Stormhaven

There’s twenty different tomorrows

Depending on the path you follow

Will you choose your direction wisely?

Or squander your precious energy?

Save me from the whirlpool

It’s pulling me in

It has a message for me

I don’t want to listen

Is it escapism to smell the flowers?

Anything to feel empowered.

(Tomorrow) I will break away

(Sorrow) I will break away

(Follow) I will break away

(Hollow) I broke away

Check the boxes, chase success,

Must outrun the heaviness

I wear my hustle like a shield—

But wounds don’t heal when concealed.

Save me from the storm

It’ll make me rage

I have a message for you

We’re not on the same page.

Is it escapism to plant a tree?

Anything’s better than falling free.

(Tomorrow) I will break away

(Sorrow) I will break away

(Follow) I will break away

(Hollow) I broke away

Save me from the whirlpool

It’s pulling me in

It has a message for me

I don’t want to listen

In my garden haven

I’m not running away

I’ll bring my raven

Feelings into the day.

Just one more breath of distraction,

One more step before contraction.

Just one more breath of distraction,

One more step before contraction.

(‘Morrow)

(‘Morrow)

(‘Morrow)

(Oh)

(‘Follow)

Save me from the earthquake

The last one broke us

It gave us a message

About the fragility of trust

Is it escapism to create art?

Anything to escape my parts.

In my chosen dailies

I’m not running away

I’m listening to lilies

And all that they say.

(Sorrow) I have broke today

(Hollow) There’s too much to say

(Tomorrow) I will be okay

(Follow) I learned to stay

Checking off tasks today

There’s too much to say

Checking off tasks to numb the ache,

Masking grief with things to make.

Coming apart at the seams,

I’m choking out my dreams.

(Tomorrow)

(Tomorrow)

(‘Morrow)

(‘Morrow)

(‘Morrow)

(‘Morrow)

(Follow)

It’s far harder than it sounds

To keep the vow to my heart

Outside there’s buds and blossoms,

Inside I’m falling apart

Save us from the tyrant rule

That condemns our whirlpools

Storms give us messages

That to ignore makes us fools

It’s not escapism to unfold

Anything that makes us whole.

There’s twenty different tomorrows

Depending on the path you follow

Will you choose your direction wisely?

Or squander your precious energy?

(Tomorrow) Your storms tell a story,

(Follow) It’s your sacred design.

(Sorrow) Our storms tell a story

(Follow) Will you listen to mine?

In my garden haven

I’m not running away

I’ll bring my raven

Feelings into the day.

It’s not escapism to unfold

Anything that makes us whole.

— Raederle Phoenix

May 28th 2025

 

Glory in Grey

I’ve been low,

I’ve been hushed.

I’ve been hollow.

Now I shine from the dark

like there’s no tomorrow.

We might seem scattered,

But it’s better to be bold;

To scream out loud,

Than to grow staid and old.

[Pre-chorus, 1st time]

Ruins to shrines, you can’t dull my shine.

Dare to flare, I’m doing just fine.

[Chorus, 1st time]

From the ashes rise green blades,

As we grow wise in grey age.

Some storms never fade.

In the ruins we may pray

Life is born from decay

I’m golden in grey.

When all has burned down, 

Green blades rise.

When you hit rock bottom,

Moss claims the stone.

[Bridge]

I am the light 

in the temple of shadows,

I am the knight

In the chapel of echoes.

[Pre-chorus, 2nd time]

Ruins to shrines, you can’t dull my shine.

Dare to flare, I’m doing just fine.

[Chorus, 2nd time]

From the ashes rise green blades,

As we grow wise in grey age.

Some storms never fade.

In the ruins we may pray

Life is born from decay

I’m golden in grey.

[Instrumental Break]

Torch in the cave, I light the maze.

Set the labyrinth ablaze.

[Pre-chorus, 3rd time]

Ruins to shrines, you can’t dull my shine.

Dare to flare, I’m doing just fine.

[Chorus, 3rd time]

From the ashes rise green blades,

As I grow wise in grey age,

My storms never fade.

In my ruins I will pray,

Life is born from decay

I’m glory in grey.

When all has burned down, 

Green blades rise.

When you hit rock bottom,

Moss claims the stone.

My light lives where shadows grow,

Under the cairn, I start to glow.

[Outro]

Ruins to shrines,

We’re doing just fine.

Rising today,

We’re glory in grey.

(Ruins to shrines,

We’re doing just fine.)

Ruins to shrines,

We’re fine, just fine.

We’re rising today – rising today,

We’re glory in grey.

I’m glory in grey.

— Raederle Phoenix

May 23rd 2025

© 2025 Raederle Phoenix West. Some Rights Reserved.

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