You have the strength within,
and words of wisdom to share.

Your heart is heavy,
But you shine so bright.
Look for beauty inside.
You will survive.

I don't need your love...
I need consistency.

I don't need ***...
I need stability.

I don't need you...
I need me.

Spent so much of this life
Letting my heart lead me astray
Following girls that never really
wanted me.
That's okay
It's alright
I spent too many nights
Questioning my self-worth
I spent too many nights
Despising the way I look, I talk
I ripped myself from the inside out
And there's nothing anybody could
Say to me now, That I haven't said to myself.

Wasted a decade
Putting myself down
Put a stop to that now
I'm lighting up
Starting to see the beauty
Beneath these scars
Strong mind, Strengthened heart
Courage comes from the depths of my soul
Not gonna end up trapped in another hole
I got all my cards and I won't fold

Twenty eighteen
Is the year
I turned this life around
Dropped the baggage
Weighing me down
Now I'm floating towards the stars
Light as a feather
All those storms I've weathered
Nothing but past memories
Trapped in the back of my head
Where they can fade and be erased
To make way for new images that fill my eyes
And be captured in this brand new state of mind

This is a new sunrise
Yeah this is a new dawn
A new decade
To take back control
Of this runaway train
Not a train wreck, just yet
Now that I'm back behind the wheel
Starting to get a grip
Get back that natural feel
The way I used to be
I'm still a fighter
Now that I'm out of the trenches
Got all these pains on the back foot
I can breathe, just look

Wasted a decade
Putting myself down
Put a stop to that now
I'm lighting up
Starting to see the beauty
Beneath these scars
Strong mind, Strengthened heart
Courage comes from the depths of my soul
Not gonna end up trapped in another hole
I got all my cards and I won't fold

Twenty eighteen
Is the year
I turned this life around
Dropped the baggage
Weighing me down
Now I'm floating towards the stars
Light as a feather
All those storms I've weathered
Nothing but past memories
Trapped in the back of my head
Where they can fade and be erased
To make way for new images that fill my eyes
And be captured in this brand new state of mind

Stains covered my face
At the end
All these blood-stained sheets
That was used in the cleansing
Of my skin
Now I'm feeling free
Felt good letting go of the heavy load
Been carrying all these regrets and thoughts
For far too long
Never felt better to say, So long, So long
The relief you feel when it's all gone

Wasted a decade
Putting myself down
Put a stop to that now
I'm lighting up
Starting to see the beauty
Beneath these scars
Strong mind, Strengthened heart
Courage comes from the depths of my soul
Not gonna end up trapped in another hole
I got all my cards and I won't fold

Twenty eighteen
Is the year
I turned this life around
Dropped the baggage
Weighing me down
Now I'm floating towards the stars
Light as a feather
All those storms I've weathered
Nothing but past memories
Trapped in the back of my head
Where they can fade and be erased
To make way for new images that fill my eyes
And be captured in this brand new state of mind

©2018 Written By Benji James

I am a warrior.
Stronger than her demons.
Braver than the darkness.

Shaky hands reach out
Wrinkled hands, bony fingers;
All for a little bit of salvation
From the heat and the hunger.
Ribs sticking out of his chest
Lungs wheezing,
Struggling to breathe properly
Inhaling the unforgiving dust and smoke.
Sleeping on the cold concrete
With a frayed mat for warmth.
Worry lines permanently etched
Around his weary eyes
Realizing he can barely support
His family because of his sorry state.
But still he gets up and works;
Begging in alleyways,
Rummaging through trash bags,
Working in factories that tax him
Making him look gaunt;
All so that his loved ones
Can sleep with food in their tummies.
A poor man with a responsibility
Is the toughest soldier
This world can craft.

Each day is a day like day had before
I don't know if I can take anymore
There's pain in my bones; Weak feeling and sore
I question myself what this life is for

Don't know what's ahead; Don't know what's in store
As happiness hides behind a locked door
The pressure, it builds to find it before
The hourglass now has emptied what's stored

The light from me left; Although I'm not sure
If ever I had a light that was pure
My soul's on death's bed; No hope of a cure
The word's left unsaid; I'll always want more

Waves lapping against the rocky beach shore
Each time takes away; A heavenly chore
Was true of my joy; A tunnel was bored
Inside from my soul true self of me poured

I ******* out myself like a *****
Each day is a lie that I can't afford
I wish I was maimed; Insides had been gored
I can not explain; Knight falls on his sword

But I am no knight; More like one who's poor
Been chewed up, discarded; Fruit with no core
Tried sharing with you; A piece of me tore
But know you disliked; Did nothing but bore

This poem is not new; These words said before
I've whined and cried too like those I deplore
A task left to do; Must settle the score
Each day starts anew; Be happy once more