Up from the ether

Forty winks in a crawl space, wrapped up tight
Under the ether, out like a light
Sleeping was my best defense
Through every hard experience

Chorus:
But I'm working my way up from the ether
It's too cold, too dark, too damp in this house of fear
I want to wake to the joys and aches of the real world
And stick around long enough to see what's happening here

One rung up, six rungs down
This shaky old ladder keeps sliding around
And the going gets slow, and I check out fast
Trying to track a pain killer that will last

Chorus

Strong medicine in the love of a good man
Strong medicine in a family
Strong medicine in the eyes of a close friend
And the one truth that could finally make me free

Chorus