[Intro — slow, deliberate, tension in the room]
[Verse 1 — the announcement] I spread the map and said: we go north The table went quiet Nobody spoke first (north? there’s nothing north) I said there’s something (what something?) Something worth the cost
The priest stood up He pressed his hands to the wood (no one goes north) (no one’s ever come back) (no scripture, no text, no record) (no one understood)
[Pre-Chorus] The room divided Between the ones who’d follow And the one who leaned in slow And said — how?
[Chorus — forward momentum, march undercurrent] Road travelled by none before us Road that ends where certainty runs out Road travelled — no map, no chorus Just the north star burning through the doubt We go because the road is there We go because there’s no other way Road travelled
[Verse 2 — the lie, the test] I said a peddler sold it to me At the edge of the south market, three days past (a peddler) (what peddler sells star roads?) I said the kind that doesn’t ask
He leaned back slow Hands folded, voice like silk “A star map,” he said (she never said star) “Which star?”
I held his gaze One breath, two The archer didn’t move But I felt her watching him The way she always does When something isn’t true
[Pre-Chorus 2] I said Polaris Didn’t blink, didn’t break He smiled and said “of course” Like he already knew the name
[Chorus] Road travelled by none before us Road that ends where certainty runs out Road travelled — no map, no chorus Just the north star burning through the doubt We go because the road is there We go because there’s no other way Road travelled
[Bridge — the Young One steps forward] And then the youngest cleared his throat
(here we go) (not again) (she sent him home three times)
“I’m not asking permission I’m not waiting for a vote I’ve been sent home before But I always find the road back
So you can say no You’ve said it — I kept count But I am going north with you And that is not in doubt”
(he came back) (three times) (he always comes back)
The room went still I looked at him I said — I know
[Final Chorus — fuller, the decision is made] Road travelled by none before us Road that ends where certainty runs out Road travelled — no map, no chorus Just the north star burning through the doubt We go because he’s standing there We go because they all said yes today Road travelled Road travelled
[Outro — boots on stone, the march begins] North.