Occasional Letter Number One

Lie to my face
You say you know what I need
You think you know what I need
Yet you just see me as a number
Tell me I’m wrong
Convince me I gotta change
Cuz i don’t do what you want
And I exhibit human nature
Lie to yourself
Believe you do a good thing
And pat yourself on the back
Because you’re good at taking orders
Know that you’re wrong
Although you’ll never admit
You’re just a pawn in a game
Designed to push us to give in and lose
Go ahead and call me out
Use the group to shame me
Leave me feeling fear and doubt
Tll me what I should be
If you are not numbr
You are no one special
Seek acceptance day and night
For scraps of approval
You can’t grade me
You don’t own me
I won’t let you
Rate my life too
Don’t you dare
Tell me now
What to think, what to say
What to feel, what to see
What to do, where to go
How to live, who to love
What to want, who to be (x2)
Cuz I make my own choices
Cuz I make my own decisions
I define my own reasons
And you’re not me
Go ahead and rate my worth
Based on a percentage
Prove that I don’t measure up
Like a dead appendage
Claim that what you think you do
Makes the world better
Crush a mind till it submits
Then assign a letter
You can’t grade me
You don’t own me
I won’t let you
Rate my life too