From the Ashes (feat. Maccabeats)

They staggered to freedom more dead than alive Flesh barely hiding the bones underneath Broken and battered their eyes told the tale - of shattered souls, anguish and grief But then they started selling sugar cubes - or anything they could find Making trades, taking chances - at unproven skills Each penny slowly earned, invested and saved - their form of revenge, to rebuild They rose from the ashes - and relit their matches To kindle a fire that somehow grew stronger They suffered in silence - yet lived in defiance Never forgetting their mothers and fathers How did they lift themselves from the dust And build this world they created for us With all that was theirs - vanished and gone Where did they find - the will to go on We have seen the furrowed brows Pale sullen faces and numbers on skin No one but they would ever know - the pain they carried within Yet they founded our communities and fought to build our land Scorning the darkness - and striving for light And millions perpetuate - what nearly was lost Reawakened - and bursting with life They rose from the ashes - and relit their matches To kindle a fire that somehow grew stronger They suffered in silence - yet lived in defiance Never forgetting their mothers and fathers How did they lift themselves from the dust And build this world they created for us With all that was theirs - vanished and gone Where did they find - the will to go on While some stood in silence - took comfort in blindness There is no denying the crimes that took place They were witnessed by millions - forever instilled in A narrative that can't be erased And we'll pass this torch from father to son And through the ages will always live on Events that occurred will always remain In our collective memory unchanged How Did they Lift, How Did they Lift - Lift themselves Up From the Dust? How Did they Lift, How Did they Lift - Lift themselves Up From the Dust? Lift themselves up We stood by a mountain as our nation was founded Faith etched in our hearts by a voice from on high It was witnessed by millions - forever instilled in Our narrative - to last for all time And this torch was passed from father to son And through the ages has always lived on In the face of despair - confusion and doubt The flame that defines us - has never gone out The flame that defines us - will never go out