I used to lie broken on the hard ground
I took the beatings as they came and didn’t complain
But I’ve realized that I’ve become a punching bag
And now I have found the strength to punch back
I’ve put up a hard wall and the words bounce off of it
They never reach me; they can’t find me in here
I’m hiding in the darkness
You can try if you’d like
To knock over this barrier
But you’ll only hurt yourself
And if you get through, you’ll have me to face
Now people only see this cold wall I’ve built
They’re afraid to come near it
I won’t ever bring it down
They all misunderstand me but I prefer it that way
Because my wall and I have become the best of friends
There will come a day when my voice won’t carry over the wall
Nothing can go through it
Around it or over it
There’s no way under it and I won’t give you easy passage
There is no door you can unlock to get inside
Just a simple key that doesn’t exist anymore
So, come on, I say!
Use me as your punching bag now!
You are all too afraid to make the lunge
Since I’ve put up my wall
It’s made of hard stone and concrete
The stuff I used to lie on and weep
There’s broken glass at my feet
But it doesn’t bother me anymore
There’s no sun where I am
There’s no rain where I am
There is nothing here for me
For I need nothing but my wall
If there were any windows
I’d have boarded them up
And drawn the curtains shut
And sewed them closed for all eternity
There is no doorbell you can ring to summon me
No command you can use to bring me out
You can hammer at my wall all day and all night
But it will never come down