Why must the tortured
ice their darkened, bitter cakes
with pretty frosting?

Rolling seas of amber-gold,
Chocolate trunks with scarlet leaves.
Vibrant yellows, flaming oranges
Like the embers of a fire dying.
The winds have changed,
The birds fly south.
For Summer's heat
Has come and gone.
The days are shorter,
The nights are growing.
A cold, crisp Breeze
Nips my nose.
It lifts my hair
And chills my neck.
I close my eyes
And breathe it in.
Whispers of forgotten warmth,
Fleeting thoughts of green and blue.
A peaceful mem'ry...
A soothing dream...
Cause now I see
Rolling seas of amber-gold,
Chocolate trunks with scarlet leaves.
Vibrant yellows, flaming oranges.
Like the embers of a fire dying.

Have you ever felt
trapped in your own skin,
a prisoner of what
others think of you?
They say you're quiet,
so you're quiet.
They say you're a good kid,
so you're good.
They think they know who you are,
like you're a puzzle
they've pieced together.
So you've gotta fit the frame
they've made for you.
But I wanna be me!
I wanna show them
who I really am.
I want them to see
what's on my inside.
And once they know that;
I can be free.
It's time for me to let
my true colors show.
I won't be defined
by how I'm classified.
You can't label me,
I won't let you.
Sometimes I'm a good girl
sometimes I'm sweet.
But sometimes I break the rules
and I'm kinda sassy.
You think you've got me figured out,
like you've solved the mystery
of my crazy life.
But it's time for you to see
That isn't who I am.
Cause I wanna be me!
I wanna show them
who I really am.
I want them to see
what's on my inside.
And once they know that;
I can be free.
And I'm no longer gonna hide
this growing fire
inside my heart.
I'm gonna let it all out.
I'll raise my voice,
I'll tell the world,
That I'm gonna be me!
And I'll show them
who I really am.
They're going to see
what's on my inside.
And once they know that
I will be free!
Yes, I will be free!

Five green and speckled frogs sat on a speckled log.
They tell you one jumped,
But he didn’t—
He died.
And when he died,
The other four looked up into the clouds,
With heavy hearts.
And though they willed the drops to fall,
The clouds were empty.
What would the others say?
They thought.
So one after another, those green and speckled frogs…
Died.
One by one they left their fellow frogs
To battle with the empty skies,
Till only one was left—
All alone.
He saw the empty log,
And he suddenly felt so small
In a world that felt so big.
And then…
Then the skies opened up,
And it poured.

I’ve got a stitch along my arm,
and a patch across my side.
There’s a thread sticking out of my hair,
and a band-aid over my chest.
My body is covered in bandages,
with seams running every which way.
I feel like the stuff that’s inside me,
is seeping out through my tears.
With every single step I take,
comes the fear of falling apart.
But for now, I’m held together
by these few threads of hope.
Hope that I’ll someday find myself
whole and brave and strong once more.
Until that day, I’ll keep walking forward,
finding strength in the peace I’ve sewn together.

Walking down silent halls,
Fingers trailing along empty walls.
Laying in the quiet dark,
Thinking of how I’ve left my mark.
Staring into empty space,
Tears slipping down the sides of my face.
Wond’ring why we have to part,
Feeling the beat of my aching heart.
It’s really hard to say goodbye,
To a part of who you are inside.