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LISTEN

Why do we ignore our kids,
Just because they're small.
To hav a say in this world,
Do you need to be six foot tall.

Children are so precious.
They're spare parts for the human race.
So how can we ignore them,
And let danger show it's face.

Now my dad, he just loved children,
In a lot more wasy than one.
He'd take them to the football,
The swimming, or the gym.

He was loved by all the neighbours.
They'd say "What a lovely man"
"His family are so lucky",
To have such a loving dad"

But I knew the real story,
Of all these sporty days.
And the sickly way he watched us,
With his perverted evil gaze.

He loved to help us get undresses
He was such a helpful guy
He loved to rub us up and down,
And help us to get dry.

This was just the tip of things.
It ran much deeper down.
Like the kisses, and the cuddles,
And the stroking on the groin.

This went on four years or so,
Until someone finally said
"My son's accused this nice, nice man
Of taking him to bed.

The police, they dropped the charges.
Even though he'd been charged before.
So the beatings and the child abuse,
Carried on behind closed doors.

You probably think I've wandered off,
Of the path that I first walked.
If your children feel uneasy,
Then you have to let them talk.

You must listen to them closely.
Never tell them to shut up.
'Cause if we have the complete story,
We can lock these perverts up.

Kids who talk about abuse.
Are the victims, not the scum.
And the more you let them talk it out,
The safer they become.

If everyone talked openly,
We'd have perverts on the run
Because the can't stand up to adults
They're slimey spineless scum.

Now please don't think I'm preaching,
About tings I don't understand
I had 15 years of misery.
From the man who was called dad.
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NEW MAN

When I walked into the room,
There were some guys playing pool.
There were other people chatting at one side
So I sat down in the corner.
Then some guys called me over
I was unsure but relieved at the same time

So I sat among these guys,
Feeling very paranoid.
But I soon calmed down. 'Cause these guys were OK.
It made me feel quite good
to be accepted by this group
I thought that i'd been going there again.

But the best was still to come,
As I was there to meet someone,
Her name was Tessi, the counselor in this place.
I was really filled with fear,
AS my appointment time grew near.
I wanted to run, but I'm really glad I stayed.

I really didn't know
What to think or say or do.
'Cause life's water was way above my head.
Tessi sat me down,
And explained that it's my time,
And what to say or do is up to you.

Then for quite a while
I felt I was on trial
But eventualy I found that I was safe
I wasn't being judged
Or pigeon holed or slurred
I thought "A place to sort my mind out. This is great"

As my trust started to grow
I was able to let go
Of this cancer that was eating up my mind
It felt good to share my tears
all my worries and my fears
And the things that I was holding all that time.

As the next few years went by
I watched old habits fade and die
And the real me getting stronger every day
It was just brilliant to see
All the pain and fear set free
And I started thingking that I quite liked me

So the man that I've become
I don't look upon as scum
In many ways I really like this guy
So I owe a lot to you
Because you helped to pull me through
So Tessi, I just can't thank you enough.
THANKS AGAIN.
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