Nazario Ai — Born of the forest

Ai rock [Verse 1] Black book On a bakery shelf Holy man blessing What’s rotting our health Mold in the flour Spores in the crust Call it a vision I call it mistrust You sell fever as heaven Every seizure a sign Sick bread in the village You call that divine [Chorus] Ash in the chalice Rot in the wheat You build your temples On tainted seed I spit your scripture Back in your teeth I was born of the forest Not your desert heat No cross can claim us No pale-robed priests I kneel to thunder To mountains To beasts Ash in the chalice Bitter I see My blood remembers What you buried in me (hey!) [Verse 2] You crossed the seas With a borrowed god Burned every grove Turned our soil to sod Called our grandmothers witches For talking to rain Hung our old stories From branches in chains Your heaven’s a fever Your hell’s just control Your prophets were tripping On poisonous mold [Chorus] Ash in the chalice Rot in the wheat You build your temples On tainted seed I spit your scripture Back in your teeth I was born of the forest Not your desert heat No cross can claim us No pale-robed priests I kneel to thunder To mountains To beasts Ash in the chalice Bitter I see My blood remembers What you buried in me [Bridge] [Breakdown hits Vocals whispered then screamed] Who fed the madness? Who baked the lie? Who soaked the altar In our terrified eyes? You blamed our rivers You blamed our trees You crowned your sickness “Revelation” on your knees I tear your pages I salt your shrines I drink from rainfall I read the pines (oh) I call my mothers Back from the flame I carve their stories Into my name [Chorus] Ash in the chalice Rot in the wheat You build your temples On tainted seed I spit your scripture Back in your teeth I was born of the forest Not your desert heat No cross can claim us No pale-robed priests I kneel to thunder To mountains To beasts Ash in the chalice Bitter I’m free Roots in the hillside That’s my liturgy