“I like my beat down low, and my top let back
Can see me ride 24's wit a chopper in the back”

“My mom beat me up," I informed my reflection. It looked back sympathetically.”

“Never give up: There are certain times that you think, “OK, you have beaten me down to my knees. And now the challenge is, I am on my knees and you keep on beating me down. And the question is, are you going to keep beating me all the way to the ground or will I find a way to struggle my way back on to my feet.””

“A rubberband bouncing back to life
A rubberband bend the beat
If I could learn to give like a rubberband
I'd be back on my feet…”

“… you expect me to fall on my back with my legs spread."
"Not necessarily…. You can fall on your hands and knees if you prefer. Or against the wall. Or on the kitchen counter. I suppose I might let you be on top, if you make it worth my while.”

“I am like a tree,
From my top boughs I can see
The footprints that led up to me.”

“Hold back the river
Let me look in your eyes
Hold back the river
So I can stop for a minute and see where you hide
Hold back the river, hold back”

“I passed on the cocaine,
Said bye-bye to my methadone.
Put down the bottle for one more day.
Backing off of my Tobacco Jones.
Still I feel like a hopeless junkie,
Like a man who can't say no.
I look back and there's that monkey;
Rascal won't let go.”

“Surely by now I should know
I can control
My highs and my lows
By questioning all that I do,
Examining every move,
Trying to get back to the rudiments.”

“Isabelle tugged her tank top back down and glared at her brother. “You don’t knock now?”

“It’s my bedroom!” Alec spluttered.”