There's something to be said for the nigh, easy road
That helps keep the trekker from being martyred
But some people chose to follow their feelings
And always wonder if there is a deeper meaning

Matthew Shepard was one of those inhibited
Who followed his dreams to college and never questioned what he was gifted
Accepting until otherwise deterred
Did his life deserve to because he lived by his word?

Tricked into leaving the safety of numbers
Late October sixth or early the seventh by a couple of baiters
Not monsters, just people
Thought they'd take advantage of the peaceful

Beaten and bruised, left on a fence to die
Just left to wonder why
Why his way of life was such a crime
When he just wanted to live and love in his lifetime

The poignant facts are clear
There was nothing to clean the blood off face but tears
To this day, Matthew's parents and victims
But their tragedy just encouraged them to fight for others' freedom

When those young people did this terrible deed
They could have sealed their fate without a plead
And the Shepards might have shown them no avail
But they spared their lives for life in jail

It raises questions, for sure
How can so much hate exist in a world that's supposed to be secure?
Maybe the whole world will learn to see a little more openly
From a little town called Laramie
 
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