Less Than Me

I lost my son in the dark Lost my family in the same hard arc Michael was murdered, cold in the street Edward was taken, and it knocked out my knees Six years shut up in one room Walls got names, and they all said "doom" I stared at the door like a wound that won't close Held my own name like I held my clothes They said, "Stay down, stay small" They said, "You don't get back at all" But something in me kept one spark alive Not for me, no, just to survive They all say I'm less than me Less than me, less than me But I still see what they can't see Less than me, less than me I can still reach, I can still bleed Less than me, less than me If I stand up, who's gonna need Less than me, less than me I memorized every crack in the floor Every step in the hall, every slam at the door No sun on my skin, no road under my shoes Just old grief and the same bad news Then I heard one cry through the wall One scared voice, one body too small And something in me split open wide I said, "No more," and I came outside They said, "What good are you now?" They said, "You've been broken somehow" But broken hands can still pull free Broken hearts can still carry peace They all say I'm less than me Less than me, less than me But I still see what they can't see Less than me, less than me I can still reach, I can still bleed Less than me, less than me If I stand up, who's gonna need Less than me, less than me I ain't the man I was before I'm the scar that knocked on the door I'm the ash that learned to breathe I'm the ghost they couldn't bury And if I save one from the knife If I drag one back to life Then let them talk, let them scream I'll be more than what they dream They all say I'm less than me Less than me, less than me But I still see what they can't see Less than me, less than me I can still reach, I can still bleed Less than me, less than me If I stand up, who's gonna need Less than me, less than me Less than me, less than me I am more than they believe Less than me, less than me I will save who I can see