Child of Burning Time
Slipknot Lyrics

Child of burning time
This song is an ode to the feelings of frustration and despair that anyone might feel when they have no control over their own fate or destiny. The child of burning time is used as an example of this ever-present feeling of helplessness.

My only consolation is all lies
The only thing that helps to keep the singer going is a set of completely untrue and unrealistic beliefs. These falsehoods serve as a source of comfort, yet ultimately provide no real solace.

The apex of my consequence is dying here tonight
The full weight of the singer's actions and consequences (both past and future) is now bearing down on them, and they feel as though they are succumbing to it all.

Winter hasn't ended and it always looks like rain
No matter what time of year it is, the weather always seems bleak and depressing. This metaphor serves to emphasize the overall tone of the song, which is one of hopelessness and despair.

I can't remember anything, anything
So consumed with their own misery, the artist has mentally checked out of their surroundings and has great difficulty even remembering the most fundamental aspects of their life.

Inside the absolution we succumb
The singer is trapped inside their own guilt and pain, with no hope of absolution or redemption.

And appetites are bittersweet I think I'm going numb
Even the things that used to bring joy or pleasure to the singer have become bitter, and they are rapidly losing the ability to feel anything at all.

A chance to give up Avarice has marked my one regret
The artist has come to the conclusion that greed and avarice have been at the root of all their problems, and they rue the fact that they never had the chance to change their ways.

The child of burning time has gone, he hasn't come back
The artist seems to be mourning the loss of their former self, and expresses a mournful longing for a time when their worldview was not so bleak and hopeless.

Before I tell my story, please consider who I am
Before the artist shares the intimate details of their experience, they wish to make sure that their audience knows them for who they truly are, so that they may better understand the full weight of their despair.

I missed my window years ago, I'm doing all I can
The singer feels as though they have missed their chance to change their fate or steer their life in a different direction. But despite this, they still strive to do everything they can with what little they have left.

A tragedy is commonplace but in the end they go away
The artist has come to the realization that everyone experiences tragedy and hardship throughout their life, but eventually people move on and learn to cope with the pain.

My skin is still the only stain I'm left to wear in shame
Despite all their efforts, the singer still feels intense shame and regret over their past mistakes and failings. They wear their remorse like a permanent scar and cannot see a way out.

I'll cut my name into my heart / I'll tear it all apart
The singer feels so consumed by their own pain and suffering that they wish to take actions to physically mark themselves as a manifestation of what they are feeling. They will shed their old skin and emerge anew, but this time marked by their sorrow and loss.

I beg you, burn me away / I won't become your hero / Just to fight the life I saved / Burn me away / I won't give up tomorrow / Just to lose it all today
The singer seems to be almost pleading with the listener or some higher power to end their pain and put them out of their misery. But they will not risk sacrificing their future in order to make a dramatic statement or scapegoat their current situation.

My isolation is my course / The effect it has on life itself is a cancer on its source
The artist finds themselves isolating themselves from the world, which is having a detrimental impact on their life and well-being. This wallowing in self-pity has become a cancer that is eating away at the very foundation of their existence.

I rue the moments spent between the fetish and the flame / Until this war is over, I won't ever lose my rage
The artist regrets the time that they spent focusing solely on their own desires (the 'fetish') instead of taking action to improve their life. But they will hold onto their righteous anger until the end until they feel that they have won their battle.

I cut my name into my soul / I guess I'll never know
The singer has taken the ultimate step in marking themselves indelibly as a reflection of their pain and suffering, cutting themselves to their very core. But they feel that despite this act of violence against themselves, they will never truly know the depth of their own sorrow or what led them there.