School to prison train

Welcome aboard the school to prison line

detentions then exclusion

no empathy, no reasons explored

just decided by the school board

No counselling, no mental health help

just bad behaviour labelled

sent to pupil referral unit after an permanent exclusion

no knowledge of what I was suffering at home

my Dad is alcoholic and my Mum and Dad argue and fight all time

I am alone as the TV drones

I don’t want to end up in prison

but life is a schism

of what you’ve been given

and it starts will being labelled thick

a joker, a troublemaker, a prick

and school teachers have no time

to form a relationship with someone who is hard work

and they are told discipline is key and I am a jerk

they won’t reach me if I am in hell of my parents and circumstances making

and it easier to push me out the door

Yesterday the police knocked on my door and my Dad threatened to kick the shit out me if happens again

cause I got into a fight

prison he says is where I am going to end up in if don’t buck up my ideas

but my Dad and Mum are too busy squabbling to see my tears.

Real Men

Real men

Real men know about issues

real men are not afraid to wipe tears with tissues

real men support their partners

real men are in touch with their emotions and mental health

real men strive to succeed

real men live to love and love to live

and they forgive

they have ambitions

and plan with precision

it is their mission

to protect, and nurture their family and friends

real men treat people with respect and know the message it sends.

I am with you

If I could cry your tears

fight your fears

if I could rattle ignorance’s cage

this would be the war I’d wage.

If I could give you back the light in your eyes

put the truth where angels cry

if I could give you the words to bring hope

I know you’d live and cope.

If I could take your violence, your silence

and give you expression

If I could take the promises you broke

and grant you the rest to be awoken

From the madness that taken your love and potential

and show you the stars shine for us all

I would pick you up from your fall

and guide you to a new dawn

for the words have been born anew

the story lies with me and you

and you can make it through

the heartache and maddening pain

you can find your rainbow in the rain.

Don’t you remember when we were kids

Don’t you remember when we were kids

when you proposed to your childhood crush with a hula hoop ring

sung nursery rhymes and pretended to be king

of a castle and that your friend was a dirty rascal

played hop scotch in the playground
and run across and TIG your it
and you ran across the school yard with glee
just because you could with me
we though it was great to grow up
but we sometimes miss those days
finger painting and art
now all we dream of is shopping carts
and money ain’t it funny
how growing up was a trap
and how we used play was so inventive
creating pretend treasure maps.