an honest man

(Thanks to T.R. Ritchie)

this is the life that I've been given
bones and blood and heart and mind
I want to be an honest man
but I'm a creature of the human kind
my heart may break
and I make my mistakes
but the soul somehow survives
hoping when all is said and done
I can say I'm glad I'm alive

when I was a younger man
my poor brain split itself in two
I stared down a razor blade
while I was wondering what to do
all the years of pain
fell like the fiercest rain
and they cut me down to size
I never thought I'd learn to say
I'm glad that I'm alive

          now I shake my head in wonder
          how winter turns to spring
          I remember this friend of mine once said
          "when in doubt 
          do the brave thing"

this is the life that I've been given
good and bad and in-between
I tell myself cliches of comfort
but I'm still not sure just what they mean
after all is spoken
I'm still not broken
though tears fall from my eyes
I hope when all is said and done
I can say I'm glad I'm alive
after everything's been lost and won
I hope I'm glad I'm alive

this is the life that I've been given