Once upon a time I hid,
I would shy away into the shadows,
With a twinkle of light in my eyes
Once upon a time I would smile to the world with an innocent heart

I remember how all the pain, the hurt, the blame
Didn't weigh on my shoulders
How after every curse, every beating I'd continue to smile

Once upon a time I didn't hold hope, I was hope
In the raging sea of alcohol and darkness,
I was the lone island of innocence and strength

I remember now, when darkness first touched me,
The solitude came and became my friend,
Solitude and darkness
How when all were gone, my mask would fall to reveal corrupted innocence

Once upon a time I was innocent, naïve, happy and strong
Every blow and every day of abuse built my armor
Over time the light faded and like my heart, my eyes turned cold
Once upon a time, I was still human

I remember how my metamorphosis happened,
How instead of a beautiful butterfly I became a slithering viper
This isn't who I was, this is who I became
This isn't who I wanted to be, but who I had to be
Once upon a time this was all but a bad dream,
Once upon a time...