I Can Make It On My Own

[couchgrouch]

I Can Make It On My OwnI remember back in schoolI had some green paint and Elmer's gluetrying to make a model B-52for next day's show and tellbut my dreams of a perfect planewent up in smoke and down in flamesthe wings broke and I smudged the painta few minutes before the bellthe teacher put her hand on my shoulderbut when she offered to help I told herI can make it on my ownI don't need any helpso please just leave me beI'll do it myselfI can make it on my ownI scrounged some cash and combed the scrap yardsfound a heap and some engine parts'neath a forty watt bulb I fixed that carand finished it when I turned eighteenwhen I shook hands with Dad in his garagehe shook his head, it was like some mirageme leaving in that patched-up Dodgeto chase some half painted dreambut I built that car alone and built it my waywhen he offered a few bucks for the highwayI said I can make it on my ownI don't need any helpso please just leave me beI'll do it myselfI can make it on my ownfor years I told those who reached outI can make it on my ownbut the only life I made that wayjust made me feel aloneI learned the one way to live is helping one anotherI didn't find life till I stopped telling othersI can make it on my ownI don't need any helpso please just leave me beI'll do it myselfI can make it on my own(c)2004 Robert George