Roses are red cuz of all the blood that’s been shed
trying to hold on to their beauty.
And perhaps you prescribe to that
Under medicated state of mind that brings those thoughts to bear.
I know what it’s like to bleed the rose red.
Life’s hard, so listen up.  

I won’t go down with the, world
I won’t go down with the, economy
I won’t go down with, all that’s conspiring against me.
The waves and thralls of a mother’s sadness,
the madness in my father’s work ethic,
the unrelenting fits of self-discrimination,
Also known as the segregation of happiness from my world.
But I won’t fall down to heaven,
Cuz this world’s too Damn beautiful.

I know it’s full of sunshine if you’ll just open up your clouds and let the light in
and that it’s covered in layers of humility if you dig deep enough.
In the Christmas tree season you’ll see Santas on the streets ringing bells
and preachers in the church giving hell,
telling you to donate to those in need.

You know the future’s lookin' kinda grim when
your wallet’s looking kinda thin and
your knees start a shakin', and you’re breaking down
as the world’s crashing all around the
crooked foundation you built for your self,
but HOLD ON!

Hope’s a year round sound singing to those that are down,
cuz even when the colors themselves are at war --
The red she’s bleedin,
for the blue that cried,
and drowned the fields of green --
A beautiful painting will emerge
It’s called life.

Although I might be missing the
Queen of hearts from my hand, no
straight flush for me
Sometimes you gotta live with Ace high
so I slap my cards down on the table and
am able to fight again another day.

Love walked out on you, you say
Well listen close to me
Love’s my favorite enemy and a lifelong elegy
The perfect song at imperfect times
But don’t worry bout the tears you been crying
or the days and nights you’ve been dying for it back
cuz when you’re least looking for it
Love will run you over.  
And then help you back up.

But instead, some people take
Slow shots of Novocain running through their veins
gettin' high to avoid the pain,
But look at the stains on your flesh from
when you crash and
have nothing left to burn.
You see drugs and medication
only provide vacations from
the life you’ve been given
and the glory your supposed to live in,
the pains and gains of this lifelong existence,
the mandates and responsibilities of being human.
So hey man, that’s not the way out.

Recessions of the mind manifest when
depression keeps you home in bed
home from work, home from school,
home from the one that matters most
and that’s when you’ve most gotta kick your own ass up outa those covers
and tell your mother I won’t repeat the mistakes you make every day,
And fight your way on when no one else will.

I can’t count the drops I’ve bled,
trying to hold to that rose called life,
My grip falters a little once and a while,
but all the while I’m thinking of what would happen if I let go.
So I hold on a little tighter,
and bleed the rose red.