Don't see me on tv,
hate me, judge me.
Don't cry your fake tears for me.
Why?
Because I am rich in my own eyes.
Besides
Your tears ain't goin change nothing,
when I'm nothing to you
Don't make me your feel good
If you ain't gonna be true.
 
I couldn't keep pride no more,
When forced to depend on pity 
...to pay bills for me.
Or sometimes, just put something in my belly
when there was no home to bother me,
with bills and comfort and belonging.
I'm longing 
For my self-respect.
But pity pays better
Sometimes
Than respect or pride
Or your fake tears that flow right by
on their way upstreet with you.
 
Your fake tears - they upscale like you.
Existing only for you.
They don't care to know me,
Got nothing for me,
Not even some spare change
...if you please
Yet they're supposed to be 
comforting me?
They ain't heard my story,
Didn't feel the hands that beat me
again and again ... in my dreams
and still, sometimes, when I wake up.
 
You wanna do something?
Wanna lift me up?
Then help me to my pride.
I had to leave it somewhere
for a stamp that said peas
So little eyes that said Please
Could say Thank You.
You think you're true?
Then help me to my somethin
the somethin that could be me.
Give me a chance, not a favor
Don't roll me over - 
I ain't dead yet.
So give me a chance to be on my feet
that doesn't start with me on my back
or running
from the boys in blue.
You look at me, I look at you:
"Do something that doesn't trap me
Refuse to use me.  Free me!
And I might see, maybe, 
then, that you understand me."