For the thorns and the barbs
The words and the deeds
That led to those awful nights
When all you did was bleed

Your blood was not red
Although it flowed free
It did not require an ambulance
Although you were on your knees

Instead of the passive victim
Lying broken down and crushed
You rose like an angry pitbull
All you wanted, to lay all to mush

But the blood flowed free
The wound was raw
As you rent all asunder
Made a symmetry metaphor

They didn’t deserve it
Neither did you
People born innocent
Turning all blue

Both victims of a world
That refuses to acknowledge
The brokenness that resides
In the foul and obnoxious

But I see the trauma
I see the reasons why
You lash out, cause injury
And that is why I cry

For the world doesn’t see this
It closes the door
It labels you a toerag
A waster, a shit, no more

It’s why I pick myself up
And put my hand out
To offer coagulants and bandages
No shadow of a doubt

Of the fact you are worth it
Of the fact that you count
Of the fact that your blood is as important
No matter how it comes out

Your method has its logic
To which we could all understand
If only we took the time to look
And helped you to finally stand

Your behaviour is obnoxious
Your behaviour does cause pain
But until we see your blood
All’s we’ll see is more rain

Cos until you see your blood
You won’t see the others’
You won’t see another way
A way to recover

Some call it compassion
Some call it moronic
I call it common sense
A solution atomic

For when we see
We see we care
And when we understand
We can go anywhere

Both better behaviour
A better outlook
Where change is always possible
Hope rewrites the book

Death ceases to sing
Blood stops flowing
The healing transforms
We can all keep on going.