all of the scrutiny
is starting to kill me.
wonder what the river would feel like

flooding my throat?

is it anything like making love?

is it anything like the glove
(the choke, and the hold
the way I was told

to sit still and be so pretty
for you)?


no, a woman can't run
for the train
no, a woman can't run

after his plane

to confess all the words

jammed in my whorl
but you can jam in me
cuz i'm pretty


with my stems
it's the curse

that i've had since birth

im the first of my kind

and im last in line
cuz i couldn't bring a girl
into this world


with all I know and fear
and the lessons I need to adhere to

how to wait until
his light is on
to stop and go

with finesse
please let it end


and get that my body
and yours are the same
i'll walk on the outside

i won't change my name
to yours
i'll take my mother's

cuz she raised me as right as rain
right as rain


with my stems
it's the curse
that i've had since birth


im the first of my kind
and im last in line

cuz i couldn't bring a girl
into this world
if she had to go through the

same things as me
if she has to go through the
same things as me


FATHER FORGIVE
WE KNOW NOT WHAT YOU DO

and MOTHER FORGIVE ME
I FAILED YOU.


i tried to liberate
and do my own thing
but i don't know no better

and that's why i sing
to POUND IT OUT.
to sound it out


with my stems
it's the curse

that i've had since birth

im the first of my kind
and im last in line
cuz i couldn't bear to bring a girl

to this world