Turtleshell

Swimmin' along in the flow of life
Bouncin' off rocks and over the dyke
Crash in the pond, pushed to the bottom
Dizzy and struggling through the awful
Topsy-turvy but I'm all right
Takes more than upending to end my fight
Things calm down and I paddle on up
With a turtle shell I'm pretty tough

I'm hungry but slow
So please don't go

Like a turtle, got a real thick shell
That's what it takes to survive this hell
But crack me open and you can see
The soft and tender parts of me
Hard and hollow, but full of soul
Getting served up in my own bowl
Gators are company that end the swim
So until it's safe I'll keep my head in

Keep the outside out and the inside in
Wherever I am, that's where I've been
Got a mobile home on the curve of my back
Keeps me safe from mortal attack
I can't feel much anymore, it's true
But there's a hunger inside for you
So I'll plod along and hope you bounce back
The signal I need to stay on track

You'd say that a turtle's just like a rock
But you're forgetting this massive thought
Turtle's got crunch and turtle's got bite
To get inside takes relentless spite

Like a turtle, got a real thick shell
That's what it takes to survive this hell
But crack me open and you can see
The soft and tender parts of me
Hard and hollow, but full of soul
Getting served up in my own bowl
Gators are company that end the swim
So until it's safe I'll keep my head in

I want to come out but the shell's on tight
So won't you come in and we'll play inside
A turtle like me can't run a race
But I'm pretty darn great at the steady pace
We'll get there
Eventually