Trying and trying to make yourself better

looking for money in ways that are clever

constantly hearing your parents speech

thinking to ourselves "practice what you preach"

its hard out here

not having a job

bickering with friends

trying not to get robbed

its a reality that grown folk dont seem to understand

life seems sweet when your young and tan

you have many days ahead of you they try to say

we sometimes wish that those days would go away

scared of what god may have in store

wishing that our prayers answers would walk through the door

we get into schools that we cannot afford

pay for books that just get ignored

eat cafe food that makes us sick

and focus on keeping up with our cliques

its sad but its true and what im saying is real

in my neighborhood your lucky to have not been killed

parents and grandparents falling ill

leaving young adolescents responsible to deal

no one ever thinks how we feel being young

missing those days when momma sung

and we would get under the covers and our biggest fear

would be the monster in the closet that made us scared

they tell us leave behind our childish ways

get ready for the real world and college days

but im hurt , who are you to say I need to grow up ?

i wanna stay a child dont make me rush !

but we cant stop time and it is what it is

but damn there aint nothing like being a kid