They say trials and tribulations make for virtuous men,
and whatever doesn't **** you makes you stronger.
The more damage the world dealt, the more pain I felt,
the less I said, the closer I am to dead.

I'm restrained in speech. I'm not one to teach.
The pain I bear is not something I wear.
I wish it would cease, wish my mind would ease.
Wish I could openly speak about this disease.

I try to look up, but have no one to love.
Poetry is hard for one who rarely sees the sun.
I have nothing to say except good day.
And goodbye. I lie about being ok. I actually cry.

Am I forever alone? Sure. I don't desire a partner.
All my friends are dead or inside my head.
This life and this world make me want to hurl.
All the while my enemies dance and twirl.

But there's a glimmer of hope that is not lost.
I bet on it long ago, and haven't yet lost.
My hope is with the father, son and holy spirit;
I pray they can exorcize me of all these foul demons.

For there's a war on, that very few can see.
It's a fight for the souls of people like you and me.
And I sense evil in all people, it just takes time.
I prefer to be alone, what's mine is mine.

Strong men and women circle around,
clever with words, nimble and sound.
They race to a goal, no one can stop,
obstacle or not, they jump and they hop.
I was once like this, but now I'm not.
By webs strings and chains, I am caught.
My legs are not nimble, my eyesight is poor;
I rely on the strength of others as I walk out the door.
Words flow through my mind, then out they go;
I cannot retain all that I know.
My filter is clogged, purification is slow.
I'm still stuck on you, so how can I grow?
Don't think too much of me, is all that I ask.
For I didn't do too much good in the past,
yet if you think wrongly of me, I will not relax.

Looking back at my childhood experiences I
realize it was far from rosy and
I'm too young to feel so worn out yet
I'm too old to be a rising star

Never free
I see my sanity slip before my eyes yet
The end is still so far off and
when I'm gone the world will continue to be

I try to hide
These four walls protect me from the spies
With their prying eyes
Yet they still find a way inside

In the confines of my mind I see all I've done
And everything else done under the sun
I'm just a floating man on a raft out at sea
Waiting to be saved, or for someone to devour me

I have seen the effects of my choices,
And it all just hurts my brain;
What once were friendly voices
Have grown silent in disdain.

For each flashback I must give an account
So I search for excuses in vain;
To what can this torture amount to
Besides an early grave?

I have seen the evil I have wrought,
So I took myself out of sight;
What once was, is now sought
But I'm too worn-out to fight.

My dreams are full of warnings,
And I shiver at the sight of visions;
I struggle every morning
To try to find a mission.

Yet I trust in God, though I cannot serve him
Because through all the pain I'm just a burden.
I can't rejoice, and though I feel I have no hope
I know it will get better as I learn to cope.

If the past is set in stone, then what of the future?
I don't know, but of a few things I can be sure
We grow old
We die
It's hard to decipher truth from lie
Enslaved by my own impulsive drive
To give up
To let go
The garbage I leave behind
Out of sight, out of mind
Out the door
Done my chore
What do I have to show for
Years of wandering to and fro
Just let go
To be alone
Now I'm starting to see the light
I can rest my thoughts tonight
Into sleep
Into dreams
For I found what I was looking for
Life eternal is in store

Something's off, I don't know what
No one to trust with deeper thought
A wind of pain has passed me by
Evil rises, soaring high
I clench my fists, I get nervous
I try to find the cause of this

There are those who delight in the bad
They want to fight, with all they have
Some like to dance to the ever black
I faint from terror, I want light back
We must let them have their fun
And endure all that is done under the sun

When I lie in fear and I'm low in strength
I hope I'll persevere, and go the length
I'll find you and draw you near, without angst
We will put in work, not be put to waste
Someday when we're a bit more strong
Then we'll find a place where we belong

Do you like my hot rod?
Came straight from the furnace
In fact, it was so hot that
Little tinman, with his rod,
Was jealous.

Little tinman, little tinman
Didn't like that my rod was hotter than his
Ohh little tinman, little tinman
Wasn't having any of this

So little tinman thought up a plan
He struck my rod, with his poking stick
Oh how it crumbled, straight from the furnace
Cause little tinman had enough of this

But as he struck my rod, his hand slipped
Little tinman lost his poking stick
And Little Kitty grabbed it in his mouth
Here kitty! Here kitty!

The cat brought the stick to me
As little tinman watched in horror
Good kitty! Good kitty!
And little tinman was struck with terror

I hate to see little tinman frettin'
So I gave him back his poking stick
It was at this moment he grew still
Oh no, I think he's broken!