Little ballerina
with dreams beneath her toes
twirls on preschool glitter
no limits to what lies in store

A moment goes, a truck explodes
goodbye to youthful eyes
Futures lost at pointless cost
Is this the balance you imagined
back when you were five

A tyrant without care
ignites and torches the air
lining his pockets with dirt
blind eye to what sits
in the way of self-worth

Junior firefighter
dodging flames to save the day
innocently claims the street
without questioning prices to pay

Pages turn and towers burn
The madmen take a ride
Heroes derail as bodies trail
Is this the narrative you hoped for
back when you were five

See but don't get too close
Feel but leave us alone
Cloaked in a cognitive room
Chaos only hears screams
through a megaphone

Don't let them win
Live prouder
Take a stand, a hand
and love louder

A singer takes the stage
to the beat of a pounding bass
making history as envisioned her life through
A young girl from the floor
sees her idol the one she adores
for the first time in a perfect dream come true

The music stops and landmines drop
time swallowed up in fright
Screaming fans run hand in hand
Is this the world that you expected
back when you were five

Through pain and twisted words
we wonder what have we become
We're stronger than believed
Shouting doesn't mean they've won

Love louder while there's movement down the stream
louder while you still have hopes and dreams
louder while a beat plays in your chest
louder while love buries all the mess

This is the time to take a stand
and live prouder
This is the time to grasp a hand
and love louder

The beggars plead for mercy
as the hammer grabs the wind
blood jumping through her veins
while maples drain on cold cement

sharpening the metal
on the open tongues of hell
she drags them through the doorway
******* out their final breath

your butchered soul’s been here before
devoured once again
déjà vu is killing you
a raging storm’s your end

Taken without warning
A drive to god knows where
Hooded gagged and shackled
Losing consciousness
yet feel you there

The heat of the enclosure
Have we been buried alive
Can't move an inch, a fight to breathe
but safe at least
for this short time

Lay still, they might forget you
Keep quiet while they're moving about
Confined, held captive in the dark
A muzzled cry
Don't let it out
Lay still

Bruised and burning flesh
Held underwater for too long
The drug enters your system
as they let me in
to keep you calm

Tally marks upon my back
Left bludgeoned on the stone
You're there to tend the damage
How can we withstand
another day entombed

Beside you I feel safe
Beside me you'll be alright
Together in captivity
Together we've a chance to survive

Grab the knife
Aim for the throat
Clasp desperate hands and go
Stairwells rush by
A bomb explodes
Burst out through the open door

Blinding sunlight greets us
and the fresh air stings our lungs
Commotion quickens all around
We crave the dark
from where we'd come

Lay still, they might forget you
Keep quiet while they're moving about
Confined, held captive in the light
A muzzled cry
Don't let it out

Beside you I feel safe
Beside me you'll be alright
Together beyond captivity
Together we've no reason to hide
Lay still