Mary, mary,
quite contrary
why does your insecurity show
when you’re all alone
when he rings your phone and
you say yes
and you say you enjoy it
and you always want it
"I got no complaints"

why do you let them in, mary
where does your garden end
when will you lock the gate, mary
when will you know your worth
you say you’re used to it
you say it’s not the first time
yes, it is, mary
you’re giving away something
priceless every time
something you can’t get back
don’t make yourself beneath them
in one way or the other
don’t let them call you
"whore" behind your back or in the car on the way home
don’t tell someone yes
when they can’t understand no

i know how it feels to be lonely, mary
I know how it hurts to say stop
sometimes
but i know that it hurts more to say
"keep hurting me"
I know that being used and being loved
are not the same
and i know you can’t measure yourself
in someone else’s way
i know men don’t make you pretty
i know sex doesn’t make you a woman
it doesn’t prove anything like this
he’s going home thinking he’s got you-or something of yours
you’re thinking you’ve got something
as long as you’ve got a "him"
that the end of "him" means the end of "you"
trust me, mary
when i say it’s better to have nothing
than something that is worthless and cheap
than someone who is loud and crude and stupid and mean
than someone who only stays happy when you stay down
get up, mary
get up and close the garden
grow for yourself first
find your own path and don’t worry
if you are the only one who knows where it leads.

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