Feel the heat building up inside
Steam is rising from my soul
Sweaty palms and underarms
People telling me, remain calm
I'm shaking, to break this spirit free
No one can hold me down
Don't try to stop me now
You'll never shut my mouth
Gonna take more than a bullet to take me out
You can throw me in the middle of the ocean
I refuse to drown
As this earth rotates
I push against the grain
Drenched in blood
Found strength in my pain
Now you'll see the crown I came to claim

I was underestimated
I've been underrated
This is my statement
Printed in my pages
I've been underrated
Under sedation
Locked in nightmares
Trying to find acceptance
Through somebody else's eyes
Instead of seeing perfection through mine

Doesn't it make you sick to your stomach
The feeling that we get
When we don't feel that we are getting our dues
and we've paid prices with priceless items
Laid it all on the line
In this battle of life
Hearts on our sleeve
And through the ink, I've bled
Still didn't end up dead
Sleepless nights in bed
Pen in hand
Experience my life through my writes
Through my stories, You take walks in my shoes
Fate chose me, So I chose it too
And that's how it lead me to you

I was underestimated
I've been underrated
This is my statement
Printed in my pages
I've been underrated
Under sedation
Locked in nightmares
Trying to find acceptance
Through somebody else's eyes
Instead of seeing perfection through mine

Power through perception
life lessons through direction
Emotions through connection
Love through detection
Minds were blown through comprehension
I found peace in this eternal mind
I now know that I am all that I need to be
Now I see I just need to be me
Just relax and rest at ease
They'll take you as you are
Flaws and all
Just breathe
and let them see

I was underestimated
I've been underrated
This is my statement
Printed in my pages
I've been underrated
Under sedation
Locked in nightmares
Trying to find acceptance
Through somebody else's eyes
Instead of seeing perfection through mine

©2018 Written By Benji James

pure of heart - that's what they tell me
"you're too pure of heart"
"you'll get hurt too easy"

should i put up some walls?
would that protect me?
or should i continue on

caring -
about people who don't care for themselves
about people who don't care for me

loving -
people who don't love themselves
people who don't love me

i could put up some walls
i could adopt apathy

but then

i would just be

someone who doesn't love for others
someone who doesn't care for me

Do you stop and think about others?

Do you stop and think about others  feelings?

Do you stop and think about the hardship?

Well maybe you should

There people out there

Hurting

Suffering

And you don't stop and think about it

There kids being bullied and abused

Open your eyes

The world doesn't revolve around you

You may not be able to fix the problem

But the least you could do is be there

Sometimes just having someone there

To listen and comfort

Is all a person needs

So next time stop and think and say to your self

"Is my life really that bad."

Then maybe you'll understand

Stale air takes the stage in this office,
With the dust of many conversations held.
Many come in  broken down and disheveled.
These exchanges primarily hold premise about getting away from
the void that they have carried for far too long.
It has left pieces of them scattered, for others to collect.
In time these souls learn to put themselves back together in hopes
That they might not break again and in the process heal inside.
An lifelong battle but a worthy one.

Protector, I am.
Feeling the roar on my lips,
Fury and danger,
I am the shield.

Every sharp rip of skin,
Warm blood draining away.
Red mist,
Burning hole,
Rings of flame.

Screaming,
Screeching,
Wrenching apart.
Life will be taken
To protect my love.

The ones I love,
The few, only few,
Their hearts must beat.
A simple piece of flesh
Inside them all
That I would rip myself up
To protect.

Flashes, yelling,
Panicked cries.
No one can see
Through the smoke.

A twitch of the lip,
Smirking,
Grinning.
A burst of laughter,
Hysterically beautiful.
Come all and join me
As we serve out justice.

I come back at the rise of sun -
Hold out my red-coated arms.
This is how many died
So you can live on.

A twitch of the lip,
A smile once more.
Soft, softer.
For the ones I hold dear.

Steps, footsteps,
Backing away from me.
Fear, terror,
Disappointment, I see.

Glory shatters,
Tears tumble.
What have I done?
Why are you scared?

I DID ALL THIS TO PROTECT YOU!
YOU ARE ALIVE,
AREN’T YOU GRATEFUL?!
NO DON’T GO,
Don’t leave me!
I love you! All of you!

I   a m   n o t h i n g   w i t h o u t   y o u

A thing which you must have
A thing which you can have for $0
But, to have it,
You must have lots of benign words
to all
And, put away all malice words
A Tongue of Flowers
Charge yourself with all the philanthropy
Never wait someone to have it first
YOU take it first and use it with all
No exceptions
Because if you never did
No one will

"I never expect to see perfect work,
from an imperfect man."

This is a quote by Alexander Hamilton.
Alexander Hamilton undeniably,
one of the smartest men that's ever lived.

It is shocking how much we forget this.
Man, is not perfect.
Wait, excuse me, it's 2018.
People are not perfect.
Your teachers,
your parents,
your supervisors,
they easily forget this.

And it goes without saying that those people,
are imperfect as well.
When will we realize,
that people make mistakes?
But more importantly,
when will we figure out,
how to forgive.

Forgive me please,
if I forget to take out the trash.
Forgive me please,
if I do not do well on a test.
Forgive me please,
if I misbehave.

Forgive us please,
if we mess up.