This ain't just a song, this ones for my daughters friend and any kid suffering. It's a prayer for the ones that feel too much, too soon.
Sunrise comes up hard in the county, casting shadows on the floor.
Another day to lock the feeling behind the bedroom door.
You’re wearin' a smile, tailor-made for the camera and the crowd,
But the ache in your gut tells a story that ain't allowed.
Little hands fixin' coffee, workin' like a forty-year-old crew,
While the weight of the whole damn house is sittin' heavy on you.
You hear the fights like thunder, shake the rafters and the glass,
And you stand there quiet, hopin' that the storm will pass.
You think if you leave, that darkness just travels down the line,
Hits the siblings you swore to save, keeps 'em from crossin' the line.
Hunger pains and cold nights—man, you know that sound too well,
Puttin' on the brave face just to keep 'em outta hell.
You don't have to be the martyr, you don't have to stay strong.
You don't have to fix what was broken and wrong.
You're still just a child, livin' adult pain.
You owe 'em nothin', go find your brighter day.
Your playground should be asphalt, your laughter should be free,
Not standin' guard and hidin' who you're meant to be.
It ain't your fault, it ain't your blame, you didn't choose the dust,
But you can choose your voice, and choose the people you can trust.
I lived in that prison, a haunted house of the mind,
Mentally dead and empty, leaving nothing behind.
Stayed 'cause I thought I was the only wall that could stand,
The only defense for the innocent, holding their little hand.
But the shield I carried? It pierced my own soul deep inside,
And the damage I took, man, it had nowhere left to hide.
It didn't save nobody; it just broke me on the wheel,
Made me hurt the good ones, showed me pain that won't ever heal.
Lost years behind bars, lost time with the ones I tried to save,
A painful truth: sometimes lettin' go is what makes you brave.
You didn't choose the start, but you can choose how the chapter ends,
There's hope on the horizon, there are helping hands and friends.
Listen to me, little warrior. That burden ain't yours to bear.
Your innocence is currency, and it's too precious to share.
You deserve every drop of love, every kindness on this earth.
Don't let yesterday steal the value of your innocence
Our home is your safety net. We are your second chance. Dont feel a burden, this is our choice.
I will stand with any child, without fear of consequence.
'Cause your smile is the future, our kids are the legacy,
And we gotta protect 'em, for the whole world to see.
You don't have to be the martyr, you dont have to stay strong.
You don't have to fix what was broken and wrong.
Your just a child livin adult pain.
You owe 'em nothin', kids, go find your brighter day.
Your playground should be asphalt, your laughter should be free,
Not standin' guard and hidin' who you're meant to be.
Yeah. Choose your voice.
Choose to live, we got you,
Til the day is done
jakeaussongwriter
