You said it was I who made you hurt me
And somehow I thought that it was true.
I accepted the excuses
And I took all the pain
But it took him
To convince me it was you.

He said, "Momma I can help you,"
But I always told him no;
Every time you started in,
I would make him go.

I thought I was a failure.
I was all to blame.
I mimicked your excuses
Couldn't take the shame
Of it all -
It was just another fall.

Just waxed the kitchen
Slid across the floor;
Just couldn't stop myself
From crashing with the door.

Oh, it's really nothing
Just a little black and blue -
But when he looked at me
I knew he knew.

And that small boy was more a man
Then you will ever be;
And it changed that
When he stepped in front of me.

He said, "Momma I can help you."
But I always told him no;
But he stood his ground
This time he wouldn't go.
And I cried when he tumbled to the floor,
It took that little boy
To help me walk out the door;
To say this is it!
I won't take it anymore.

And then I knew I was a failure
And I knew I was to blame;
For standing there  and taking it;
For living with the pain.
And it took that little boy to open up my eyes
And let me see;
I would never let you do to him,
The thing's you did to me.