Diamonds And Monsters
Tarsha Vega Lyrics

First things first, ay yo she didn't fit in
Right off the bat, it's clear she was an outcast and didn't belong

She knew that she was different and she couldn't pretend
She was aware of her uniqueness and couldn't conform to society's expectations

That she hadn't been abused by some messed up dudes
Sadly, she had experienced trauma at the hands of troubled men

When her daddy said goodbye, step-daddy moved in
After her biological father left, a less-than-ideal replacement entered her life

Unwanted hands under the sheets up in the sleepless nights
She was violated by unwanted touches in the middle of the night, causing her to lose sleep

Where she's afraid to dim the lights and monsters creep in the night
The memories of the abuse made her afraid of the dark and feel as if monsters were lurking

And she keeps her mouth shut 'cause no one would ever believe
She felt like nobody would listen or believe her story, so she kept it to herself

Fifteen and petrified of her dreams, c'mon
At fifteen, she was scared to dream and may have felt like her future was uncertain

Keep on healin' all the scars in your heart
Continue to work on healing the emotional wounds that still affect you

You keep on realin' as they tear you apart
Despite being torn apart by others, keep pushing forward and don't let them break you down

Don't let them take away your pride and dignity
Don't let anyone strip away your pride and dignity as a human being

'Cause scars will heal themselves eventually
You'll eventually make progress in healing and the scars will lessen over time

Her mama got a drawer diamonds and pearls
Her mother possessed valuable worldly possessions, such as jewelry

Gettin' dusty like the Rhodes they call the fender
The valuables were neglected and gathering dust, like a piano collecting dust (Rhodes) in the corner

Now mama won't remember if they gone through November
Her mother would eventually forget if the valuable jewelry was still around come November

Baby pockets up the rocks and she take on the world
The girl stole the valuables and used them to make her own way in life, despite the odds against her

Like Rahzel be boxin' beats
She used the valuable to box (trade) for what she needed, much like Rahzel using beatboxing for his art

Girl ya boxin' the streets
She hustled for her survival in the streets, boxing and trading to get by

Ya sell the stones high as hell and lose the shoes from ya feet
She sold the valuable items for a high price, but this left her without shoes on her feet

Turn a trick not for treat, why did heaven deceive?
She resorted to tricks or prostitution out of desperation, questioning why heaven would allow her to experience such hardship

And every face look like a monster end the treachery, uh
She saw everyone as a potential predator or threat, and wanted to put an end to the deceit and danger in her life

They put her in da juvenile facility
She was placed in a juvenile detention center or youth prison

Where dey question da mental competency
While there, they questioned her mental health or ability to function normally

No one there to pay the tab in 30 days she's free
Nobody came to pay for her release from detention, and she remained there for thirty days

Anutha Runaway who's prey up in the belly of the beast
She was just another runaway, trapped and vulnerable in the belly of a dangerous or corrupt system

Oh girl, time just can't erase
The hardships and trauma she endured cannot simply be erased or forgotten over time

Oh girl, we find angels in the strangest place
Sometimes we can find hope or salvation in unexpected or unconventional ways or places

In a hopeless space in a lifeless case
She felt trapped in a hopeless and lifeless situation or circumstances

Ay yo, I see my life reflected in the lines on ya face
The artist feels a personal connection and sees similarities between her own life and the struggles represented in the song

And it's a waste
It's a shame that so many people have to endure similar hardships and waste their potential due to adversity and abuse

Somewhere beyond the sky you and I
There may be a better place beyond this world where we can find peace and fulfillment

Live with diamonds and monsters
Even in the next life, there may be a mix of good and bad, beauty and horrors

Without a care in the world
Hopefully in the afterlife, we won't have to worry about the same struggles that plague us in this life

Somewhere beyond the sky you and I
Once again, there may be a better place where we can find refuge from the pain and brokenness of the world

Live with diamonds and monsters, yeah, yeah
Even though we may face hardship, there may still be moments of beauty or value amidst that suffering