Ugly voices

I want to hear the ugly voices

The ones the world tries to cover up

The ones too afraid to be heard

The ones they say aren’t good enough

I want to hear the ugly voices

Ring out loud and true

Burst forth your rambling chortles

Sing out your imperfect tune

The others may not catch your beauty

In the imbalance of your sound

But there’s a truth that’s long been missing

In their sculpted falsettos found

I want to hear your ugly voices

Thought broken beyond repair

Lines wrought with heartbreak

Verses rife with despair

Let us move to your fractured songs

Lament and sorrowful

The tones that hurt our ears

And make us uncomfortable

There is an army rising up

An awakening at hand

To face the raging apathy

That has overtaken our land

No more ice cold hearts 

Open up our closed ears

No more "everything is fine"

Gasped between our tears

Our sorrow must be recognized

If we ever want to be healed

But it requires a brand new courage

Or our fate is forever sealed

To be "just okay"

To slip between the cracks

To deaden our hopes and dreams

Steal a future we won't get back

We must face our open wounds

Shift our eyes to the broken

Reach out to the crippled

Hear the words softly spoken

That beg for a new vision

Of a life yet to come

That is full of joy and wonder

That thinks us not yet done 

Your story matters

It's the only way we know

How to propel you forward

Show the places you can go

If you're willing to give up

The chains round your neck

The shackles about your fists

The past holding you back

Every tear, every fear

Every insecurity

Every doubt you sing out 

Shines a light inside of me

To hear a melody like mine

Full of trauma and regret

A song of understanding

Beginning to be met

By a chorus of sons and daughters

Once too afraid to be heard

Now realizing they're not alone

Seeing the power of their word

To heal a hurting nation

From wounds that go so deep

Boldly pray out loud

My soul now to keep

A generation finding hope

A world rising up

Discovering their worth

Believing they are enough

All because you bravely sang

Of a life out of tune

So rise up your ugly voices

The world needs to hear you