Different lyrics

`Nothing at last is sacred. Oh how the great have fallen
What have I done to myself? It`s been way too long!`

We need to reacquaint. Things are different now, I ain`t the same man I was
Hi, how are you doing? I`m new and improved with even less to lose
A collector`s edition version of a virgin drink ordering cocktail teller
Gone way wrong...to the point of no rerun

Over the edge and burned out before I even got my shine
Holding my head in pure doubt
Out of insight. Out of mindful things to shout or rhyme about

Yeah, I know I was supposed to change the world and all
But it looks like the world got to me first
If you can`t beat em, join `em..
Then hurt the team by beating yourself

I`m different...in a different way
The only thing that stays the same is change
While people claim their states, I state my claims
Sage Francis made a name for himself
For the record my mother calls me Paul
Which was my father`s middle name, but Ray
Stepped in and raised me
It`s crazy, but this is a game I play

called `Shut the fuck uuuuuuup!`

Don`t bother calling me at all because I`m not answering
Is that a voice-mail-bomb-threat or a broken promise I`m mishandling?
Gambling away my money issues, somebody owes me big bucks
My career depends on explosive vacuums sucking me in and blowing me up

Poetry struck a nerve in the listenership
Spoken word then got `em all interested
Now I don`t have to serve ice cream to little kids
I serve emcees who think they`re rippin` it
And poets who think they`re somehow significant
Meanwhile both are loud and ignorant
And don`t know how to speak to a crowd in an intimate environment

I am