Below The Line

Lyrics

Dirk wore the name like a borrowed coat It fit him fine, but scratched his throat He walked the floor but didn't see What Mom and Pop had meant to be The numbers whispered, "You're not enough" The charts were flat, the margins tough He craved much more than pride and steel He needed someone to make it real

Then one gray morning at his desk McKay appeared with a golden slide Said, "Legacy's nice-but scale's your guide" He spoke of vision, teams, and flow Of agile minds and vertical growth He said, "The line's not profit-it's thought" "Your people fail when they think what they're not" "Culture's a lever. Use it right." "Above the line, you win the fight."

(Above the line) - you lead with grace (Below the line) - you lose your place (Above the line) - you show you care (Below the line) - you're unaware (You're not fired) - you're out-placed (You're not sad) - you're misaligned (You're not angry) - you're just Below the Line

We filled out forms with perfect grace Learned how to smile at our own pace We played the game, we joined the call Said nothing true, said nothing at all They tracked our joy in colored charts Gave us a score to match our hearts And when we cried, they changed the frame- "You're not upset. You're just ashamed."

He heard the grumbles through the halls The nervous laughs, the distant calls He read the note from Mom last night- "Don't lose the heart. Don't lose the light." He asked McKay if things felt wrong McKay just smiled and said, "Stay strong." "This friction means the change is near- The line divides the doubt from clear."

Word games are a coward's tool (You're not tired) - you're unaligned (You're not fired) - you've been out-placed (You're not mad) - you're Below the Line We used to be the name on steel Now we're a number, masked as feel We used to speak Now we perform The weather changed- And we were the storm

(Above the line) - you lead with grace (Below the line) - you lose your place (Above the line) - you grow, you shine (Below the line) - you're out of time (You're not broken) - you're non-compliant (You're not sad) - you're just defiant (You're not worthy) - you're misaligned (You're not hurting) - you're Below the Line

There used to be stew in the breakroom air A joke, a name, a coat left there A metal stamp that said, "I care" But now the words just echo... square Bent below the line…