- Music
and lyrics by Mark Geisler © 2003 Thoryan Music
-
- NOTES:
Written April 28, 2003. There were many times in my life that I could have easily met the
same end as Matthew Shepard and I consider myself extremely lucky
that I didn’t. Though
Matthew’s story was widely publicized, there have been huge
numbers of equally appalling acts of violence against gay men that
were never told in the mainstream media.
When you know how it feels to be on the receiving end of that
kind of discrimination, hatred and violence it alters your
perspective. These
are all true stories.
-
- When you know how it feels…
- To finally gather up the courage to come out
- Then have your parents and your family
- Throw you gladly from their house
- To be despised by those you love
- To be disowned by your own blood
- (For righteous is as righteous does…)
- When you know how it feels…
- Then you’ll know that this is real…
-
- When you know how it feels….
- To be told by finger pointing, self-anointing
- Pussy eating, brainless breeding
- Fuckheads like you - that you’re less than
human…
- That you are not worthy in God’s eyes…
- An abomination in his sight…
- When you know how it feels…
- Then you’ll know that I am real…
-
- When you know how it feels…
- To find yourself walking home then fighting
for your life
- While strangers rape you in the night
- And one castrates you with his knife
- Until you die without a sound
- Your testicles shoved in your mouth
- And you’re left that way to be found
- By some strangers…
- By your friends…
- By your father…
- By your lover…
- When you know how it feels…
- Then you’ll know this story’s real…
-
- When you know it feels…
- To be woken by a stranger’s call at three
a.m.
- Telling you that your son is dead
- That he was beaten in the head
- Tied to a fence and left for dead
- A bleeding scarecrow for the vultures to be
fed…
- When you know how this feels…
- Then you’ll know that we are real…
-
- My given name is Mark…
- But I might have easily been Matthew…
- Well it could happen to John…
- It could happen to Luke…
- To Simon, Paul and Peter too…
- It could easily be you
- Tell me, what would Jesus do…….?
-
- So, how dare you have the nerve
- To say we get what we deserve
- When to our funerals they come
- Shouting their hate - to the last one
- Signs written in psycho-lipstick red
- That read “We’re glad your son is
dead!”
- That “God hates fags and hates them
well!”
- And that “Your child will burn in hell!”
- “You are all carriers of AIDS!”
- And “You deserved to die that way!”
-
- Well if you believe that’s true…
- Then I wish the same for you…
- Until you know how it feels….
- Until you know that it is real…
-
- Oh yes – this is real….
