Mercy and Mend

You only get one clean start in life. After that the slate is never clean. All your chances lie in doing something great enough to stand out among the smudges of past failures.

One isn't quiet because they've got nothing to say but because they've got so much to. 

I try to recover in my words the meaning I've lost in my thoughts I don't see why I have to deny that I'm damaged What I've seen over the years has given me a different set of amends Broken yes, I am by the turn of events But I don't believe that's something I need to conceal 'cause I'm just done sitting back and trying to heal Yes, I've seen violence like you never have, like I wish no one ever does The gun fire my morning alarm, the gun fire my curfew Were the smiles are  few and  the frown not new I've been in a place were you sleep, breathe, dwell in screams and pain  In fights and strain In bombs and bullets old friends  In grief and guilt broken But somewhere it's taught me things Dying taught me living War taught me peace And damaged taught me healed I gulp It's hard. Hard to get back to normality after all that I've lost  Hard not to feel jittery without a gun strapped to my waist To not get lost o