I know those as soft as cotton,
Always lessening the blow,
Each layer adds protection,
Pain can only sink so low.

I know those who are like sponges,
They're always bouncing back,
Endlessly resilient,
Attack after attack.

I know those as strong as steel,
They don't bend, don't break, don't move,
They act as their on armor,
You will never see them lose.

And I know those who are like glass,
Deeply scratched but shining bright,
Never giving up, putting up a fight,
In pain but reflecting light.

We lessen the blow
And we bounce back,
We are our own armor.
We shine through our scratches
Protect ourselves,
We're our own safe harbor.

You think you're steel,
I know,
But you're as clear as my window,
And just as fragile,
Just as thin,
But it's okay
To let me see in.

There's no danger here,
No hammers here,
No rocks or stones,
No shatters here.

So wear your armor
For the rest of the world,
But with me you're free
To leave it at the door.

Extra! Extra!
This just in:
Hatefulness
Is the new trend.

Forget tolerance
Empathy and being kind,
Why burden ourselves
With an open mind?

So we keep our minds closed,
But we open our mouths,
Speaking of things
We know nothing about.

We're shouting hot air
With no substance to fill it.
We spread hate but preach love
Then point out hypocrites.

We blame everyone else
And claim innocence although
We're building walls
With the stones we throw.

We're so advanced
But so behind,
We've got 20/20
But we act like we're blind.

She said:

“I really wish things were different
I’m so tired of living like this
Too many things wrong in the world
All of them in the way of my bliss.

If only things were better
If only things were fair
Then I could find my happiness
And finally lose my despair.

Won’t someone take charge?
Won’t someone help me out?
You’d think someone would be willing
But someone keeps letting me down.

I said:

“Go stand in front of a mirror,
Look closely at what you see,
I’d like to introduce you to
The someone you’ve been waiting to meet.

Someone who can do all that you asked
And then a little more
Change is something that you do,
Not something you wait for.”

Butterflies
Don’t float around
Saying “Look at me!”
Or hope to be found.
They don’t ask for attention
Or to be admired
They won’t seek recognition
Or beg for your desire.

Their patterns stand out
Their colors shine bright
And without even trying
Their wings catch our eyes.
But it doesn’t matter
If we’re here or gone
Or if their beauty is noticed,
They’ll fly on.

I won’t ask
Won’t beg, won’t seek
Anyone to
Admire me.
My colors will shine
Even if they’re not awed
So despite recognition
I’ll fly on.

If it wasn't
Race or religion
It would be something else
It's one big competition

We're living in the Darwin days
Survival of the fittest
As if we don't all deserve
To have equal chances

We're breaking ladders
Instead of building them taller
Instead of working toward growth
We make others smaller

Can't get anywhere
If we're tripping each other
But how far we could go
If we worked together

Start building, not breaking
We'll get so much further
One mile alone
One hundred miles together

I'm a little too
Excitable
Or at least
That's what I'm told
Too positive
With my glass half full
Too happy, too many
Smiles, I know

I'm too naive
Too blind, unaware
To know what
Life's about
I'm too busy
Floating on air
To remember
The pain of the ground

You think I don't know
The pressure and strain
Of the final string
Of a splitting rope?
I've ripped, I've snapped
I have no less pain
But one thing I do have
Is hope

Well my glass isn't half full
Its overflowing
My rose colored glasses
Don't leave my eyes
I am not too much
Of anything
Except too good
At finding where hope hides