hope

i was looking for answers to all my many questions

like who am i? or who should i be?

just another kid without an identity

i truly didn’t know what that really means

young, black & jaded

i was taking the bus with headphones in

tryna kill the noise or fill the void

that i was feeling inside

couldn’t believe that the world could be mine

long rides spent on the Q4 bus route

long nights spent trying to figure all this stuff out

searching for meaning from my plight

listening to songs that mirrored my life

maybe I could be like them, maybe i’ll be fine

i’m not scared to say i cried

first time i realized

i’m the one in charge of my life

i wiped the tears off my eyes

closed doors, i was stuck in my mind

found out my key was a pen

started writing down lines

but it felt more like my truth

i share my stories with you

as an accident-prone youth

i could always attract laughter

i never felt like i mattered

never felt like i’m unique

but did i even know me?

to say it saved me is such a cliche quote

but what would you say if it gave you hope?