Just Life

He drew a circle that shut me out:
He drew a circle that shut me out:
He drew a circle that shut me out:
He drew a circle that shut me out:
He drew a circle that completely shut me out:

shut me out.

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Heretic, rebel, a thing to flout.

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But Love and I had the wit to win:

But Love and I had the wit to win:

But Love and I,

But Love and I had the wit,

The wit to win:

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We drew a circle,

We drew a circle,

 We drew a circle that took him in,

That took him in,

That took him in.

We tell each other stories so that we will remember,

Try and find the meaning in the living of our days.

Always telling stories,

Wanting to remember

Where and whom we came from,

Who we are.

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Sometimes there’s a story that’s painful to remember,

One that breaks the heart of us all.

Still we tell the story;

We’re listening and confessing

What we have forgotten

in the story of us all.

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We tell each other stories so that we will remember,

Trying to find the meaning…

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I am open to hear this story about a boy,

An ordinary boy,

Who never had expected his life would be this story,

(Could be any boy, any boy.)

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I am open to hear a story,

I am open to hear a story,

open,

listen,

open,

listen,

all.

Ooh, Ooh, 

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Daryl played the hero

in someone else’s tale.

Even freed from prison

it felt to him like jail.

Like he was in jail.

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Nineteen years a captive

for another’s acts.

While people told his story

‘til none could deny the facts

None could deny the facts.

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He performed a role

with a calm smile across his face.

Scared to disappoint by showing other

than forgiveness, strength, and grace.

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He hid a private terror,

woke fighting for air

“That I could live a decent life”

once had been his prayer,

That once was his prayer.

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I’d like to think his last thought

was of a secret ride

Cruising with the top down

through the Blue Ridge Mountains,

April by his side.

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Then the tale is over

in a truck lent by a friend.

Daryl pulled the trigger,

but he didn’t write the end.

He didn’t write the end.

He didn’t want that end.

ah…

twelve by seven…

can i get that bread?...

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Twelve by

Twelve by seven

Twelve by seven

Twelve by seven

Twelve by seven

Twelve by seven

Ah, ah

Twelve by seven

Ah, ah

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Can I get that…

Can I get that bread?

Can I get that…

Can I get that bread?

Can I…

Can I…

Can I…

Can I…

Can I get that bread?

Ah, ah (angry)

Ah, ah (rage)

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Oooh

Twelve by

Twelve by seven

Twelve by seven

Ah, ah…

Can I get that bread?

Twelve by seven

Can I get that bread?

Can I get that bread?

Twelve by seven…

Can I get that bread?

1 2 3…

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1 2 and 3, 2 and 3 to 1 2 and 3…

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I’m sitting here facin’ twenty-five to life,

You met up with some friends and got in a fight.

You know that the system is made to throw us away,

nothing has changed.

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But that was fifteen years ago,

he took the socks cuz our baby’s feet were cold.

Didn’t know that the sins of my past would come back tenfold,

life no parole.

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How could you call this a crime?

They sayin’ one mo’ time they give me life.

Strike 3 2 1

Oh we’re runnin’ outta time.

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A system broken

Many years stolen

For a petty crime

Twenty five to life,

Locked away, forgotten

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There’s no room to forgive in a law that stems from pain.

Fear and justice aren’t the same.

Where is there room for grace when a law says one to three,

3 to life

All of my, all, all of my life

‍

A system broken,

Many years stolen.

For a petty crime,

Twenty five to life,

Locked away, forgotten.

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This law, this system broken,

Too many years are stolen, why?

The cost must match the price, not a life.

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This law, this system broken,

Too many years are stolen, why?

The cost must match the price, not a life.

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1 2 and 3, 2 and 3 to 1 2 and 3, 3 2 life.

Baby boy, baby boy,

Where you gone,

Where you gone?

‍

Baby boy, baby boy,

What you done,

What you done?

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Ah, ah

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Oh my little girl,

My son,

My child,

How could I have let you go?

How can you be gone?

My baby girl, full of joy.

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My little boy, almost a man.

How can a mother go on?

How can I go on?

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Baby boy

How can I go on?

Baby boy

My child

How can I go on?

Baby boy

My child

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Ah, ah

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Baby boy,

Where you gone?

Where you gone?

‍

Baby boy, baby boy,

Where you gone?

Where you gone?

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Ah, ah

We were kings once

And we wielded our power ruthlessly

Invincible as long as our guns were high,

And the things we did were written across the sky.

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We were kings once,

Dispensaries overflowing,

We medicated individuals with the balm for their need:

Cocaine, heroin, ecstacy and weed.

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We were kings once

And we never realized our world was glass

And we never realized the sands of time slowly flowing,

Pushing us into a different world without us knowing,

Without us knowing we were kings once.

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Trapped in a war of circumstance,

Badgered by bad choices,

Worse options, fate

Boxed in by poverty and dreams and love

And hate and hate and hate and HATE!

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We were kings once…

We failed our subjects.

We failed our families, our people, our homes,

We failed our nation.

We were kings.

Once.

Oo, oo,

Angels where you soar up to God’s own light,

Take my own lost bird on your hearts tonight,

And as grief once more mounts to heaven and sings,

Let my love be heard.

Love.

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Angels where you soar up to God’s own light,

Take my own lost bird on your hearts tonight,

And as grief once more mounts to heaven and sings,

Let me love be heard,

Let my love be heard whispering in your wings.

Ah…

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Let my love be heard

Let my love be heard

Let my love be heard

Let my love be heard

Let my love be heard

Let my love be heard

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Angels where you soar, up to God,

Ah…

Let my love be heard.

You find yourself here,

different somehow,

learning to build a life worth living.

You carry it home.

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You learn to abandon what isn't important,

to sit still,

to stay in one place.

​

You learn to watch over yourself

when there's no one else

to watch over,

and no one to watch over you.

​

You see yourself reflected;

you learn to love what you see.

You live with yourself,

you live.

​

You find yourself here,

different somehow,

learning to build a life worth living.

You carry it home.

Please, please, see me.

Please, see me.

Starin’ at the wall,

Prayin’ to a poster,

Askin’ for an answer

to how to make it over,

Funny how the room

Full of total strangers

Can make you feel

at home

And ease the burdens

that you came with.

Yeah, so Build me up, 

Help me stand, 

I’m out of touch,

I need a hand 

In the dark I feel alone

Shine a light on my soul.

Build me up

Livin’ life alone,

Keepin’ it together

Ain’t as easy when you in

a time of stormy weather.

Funny how a prayer

reaches to your neighbor,

And even has the power

to change

a sinner to a savior.

Yeah, so Build me up, 

Help me stand 

I’m out of touch,

I need a hand, 

In the dark I feel alone

Shine a light on my soul.

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Build me up,

Tryin’ to catch the rhythm,

I’m tryin’ to make it over,

I’m not the only one

leanin’ on your shoulder.

We all need to hear a word,
need somebody

to bring me home,

To carry home.

Yeah, so Build me up, 

Help me stand, 

I’m out of touch, I need a hand, 

In the dark I feel alone

Shine a light on my soul.

Build me up.

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