The Truth About Paradise

I used to think we lived in a world With nothing at all to fear. I used to believe we lived in a land So perfectly crystal clear. Away from sadness, away from anger, Away from the clutches of hate. I used to be full of innocence Back when I was eight. Now my best friends are both anorexic And one's been raped four times. And that girl who's aunt and uncle beat her? She's a friend of mine. I know a boy whose mother uses His disabilities and disorders To abuse him without touching him In ways not against the law. And his stepfather helps her do this to him Because he's far too much in love To realize that what they're doing Is just morally wrong. I have a friend who's terrified For her father's life Because she never knows when she'll find That he's been killed in the strife. It's a war of many, a war of hate, And, sadly, for some people, fun, And the only thing harder than being a soldier, I've found, is loving one. But no matter how many times people say That they're glad there's only one war There are many unacknowledged wars. Just walk through your own front door. I used to think our world was A wonderful paradise. Now I see that there's far too much That's covered up in life.