Be As You Are

Virginia Woolf and poetry

No one seemed to notice me

Being young was getting so old

Cheap beer and cigarettes

Life was like a movie set

And I seemed to be given no role

But in times of trouble

I can turn to my mother

And I know that she gon’ understand

So at age 18

I cried to my mother

And she told me, “young man”

“There are moments when you fall to the ground

But you are stronger than you feel you are now

You don’t always have to speak so loud, no

Just be as you are

Life is not always a comfortable ride

Everybody’s got scars that they hide

And everybody plays the fool sometimes, yeah

Just be as you are”

They played me on the radio

And everything was changing, so

I thought I was all the way grown

But I can still remember in that cold November

When I realized I’m all alone

But in times of trouble

I can turn to my mother

And I know that she gon’ understand

So at age 22

I cried to my mother

And she told me, “young man”

“There are moments when you fall to the ground

But you are stronger than you feel you are now

You don’t always have to speak so loud, no

Just be as you are

It doesn’t matter if you become some star

Life is better when you open your heart

You don’t always have to act so hard, no

Just be as you are”

If I’m speaking truthfully

I’m not who I used to be

And I know some people might laugh

‘Cause my music doesn’t sound the same

And my head’s no longer shaved

I’m worried if I’m on the right path

But in times of trouble

I can turn to my mother

And I know that she gon’ understand

So at age 26

I spoke to my mother

And she told me, “young man”

“There are moments when you fall to the ground

But you are stronger than you feel you are now

You don’t always have to speak so loud, no

Just be as you are

It doesn’t matter if you become some star

Life is better when you open your heart

You don’t always have to act so hard, no

Just be as you are”

Be as you are