She's like no one you've met before A rare little flower A precious stone Unpolished, upturned, gritty, and growing up She's resilient in the shade of adversity Rebellious in the face of a threat Amiable, changeable You'll like her, 'til she knocks your block off If you step on her Once cobbled toes that they stole, that they sold Like her rights from under her stout dipped nose Her sons fought and died, gave their lives As her daughters heavily bled In backstreets from dim-lit desperate deeds Drugs blackened her teeth But her spirit, her mind, is blindingly bright And a beautiful sight to behold Her heart has been broken Bruised, dropped, used up She's suffered taunts Been ridiculed and labeled by fools So when you pick her up Don't patronize her Talk to her Look her straight in the eye And see her glory blind you sideways, front ways Every bleedin' way She's a handsome one But don't drench her in praise That makes her squirm Beyond her pale confine Let her rise with a pride That can only be earned from the life, she has given To all who have lived within her She's in my blood She's in my core She is me And I am her She's free, she's a fine thing But not your thing nor my thing Not a nun nor a moll Between you, me, and the wall That lady taking liberties She's the belle of the ball