Broken Prayers – English Lyrics

• By: Riley Clemmons
• Album: Godsend

Lyrics & Translation

Learning a language can be a powerful journey of connection, much like the message in Riley Clemmons' "Broken Prayers." This song's honest and accessible lyrics about vulnerability and acceptance offer a beautiful way to learn English emotional and spiritual vocabulary. What makes it special is its universal message of hope, reminding us that perfection isn't required to communicate and be understood—a comforting thought for any language learner.

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
talk /tɔːk/ A1	verb - to say words aloud; to converse
bad /bæd/ A1	adjective - not good
words /wɜːrdz/ A1	noun - units of language with meaning
head /hɛd/ A1	noun - the part of the body above the neck
end /ɛnd/ A2	noun - the final part of something
heaven /ˈhɛvən/ A2	noun - the place where God lives; paradise
afraid /əˈfreɪd/ A2	adjective - feeling fear or apprehension
tears /tɪrz/ A2	noun - drops of liquid that come from your eyes when you cry
hurt /hɜːrt/ A2	verb - to cause pain or injury adjective - injured; emotionally distressed
beauty /ˈbjuːti/ B1	noun - the quality of being pleasing to the eye or mind
broken /ˈbroʊkən/ B1	adjective - having been fractured or damaged
prayers /preɪərz/ B1	noun - requests to God
edges /ˈɛdʒɪz/ B1	noun - the outside limit of an object, area, or surface.
rough /rʌf/ B2	adjective - not smooth; having an uneven surface
scars /skɑːrz/ B2	noun - marks left on the skin after a wound heals
messy /ˈmɛsi/ B2	adjective - untidy or dirty
desperate /ˈdɛspərət/ C1	adjective - feeling, showing, or involving a hopeless sense that a situation is so bad as to be impossible to deal with.

Key Grammar Structures

• YOU WANT MY TEARS

  ➔ Simple Present Tense

  ➔ The phrase uses the simple present tense to express a general truth or desire.

• WHEN I'M HURT

  ➔ Present Continuous Tense

  ➔ The present continuous tense is used to describe an ongoing action or state.

• YOU MEET ME THERE

  ➔ Simple Present Tense

  ➔ This line uses the simple present tense to indicate a habitual action.

• LIKE BEING OKAY IS THE WAY TO REACH YOU

  ➔ Gerund Phrase

  ➔ The gerund phrase 'being okay' acts as a subject in this context.

• YOU DON'T CARE IF IT AIN'T POETRY

  ➔ Negative Form

  ➔ The negative form is used to express the absence of care or concern.

• AT MY WORST

  ➔ Prepositional Phrase

  ➔ The prepositional phrase 'at my worst' indicates a specific condition or state.

• MAKING EVERY DEAD-END LOOK LIKE HEAVEN

  ➔ Present Participle

  ➔ The present participle 'making' indicates an ongoing action that transforms a situation.

• YOU SEE THE BEAUTY IN MY BROKEN PRAYERS

  ➔ Simple Present Tense

  ➔ The simple present tense is used to express a fact or belief.