the scent of self alone

Verse 1)

How quickly talk turns to transaction now

Everything arrives at the what's-in-it-for-me somehow

Profit and loss on every tongue they ride

Gain and damage — nowhere left to hide

(Chorus)

And in every voice I catch the scent of self alone

Even love becomes a deal, even flesh and bone

Relationships, affection — all get swept away

Into the same cold current of what do you owe me today

(Verse 2)

Good words without a purpose — they just don't feel right

But let self-interest slip inside —

And suddenly everyone sees the light

Suddenly it shines, suddenly it pleases

Suddenly the whole room eases

(Chorus)

'Cause in every voice I catch the scent of self alone

Even love becomes a deal, even flesh and bone

Relationships, affection — all get swept away

Into the same cold current of what do you owe me today

(Bridge)

From every mouth I hear the same —

My story, my loss, my name

Nobody steps outside their own small round

Nobody touches unclaimed ground

(Final Chorus — slower, emptier)

And in every voice I catch the scent of self alone

Even reaching out becomes a loan

We build our circles, draw them tight

Then wonder why we feel so light —

No weight, no risk, no rain, no rust —

Just the language of use… and dust.

(Outro — spoken-sung, fading)

Self to self… shelf to shelf… nobody else…