Hard fought hallelujah in the dark of the pit,
I sang it through broken teeth, blood on the hymn.
Every scar is a choir, every tear is a drum,
Hell tried to hush me—louder I come.
I ain’t got gold, got grace in my lungs,
Raised on the struggle, baptized in the crumbs.
When the devil said “stay,” I stood up instead—
Shouted “hallelujah” from the land of the dead.