First Letter
"And I swear to God you'll know my name. Yeah, I swear to God you'll know my name." – from "First Letter," by Kyren Harris
Editor's Note: HCC music major Kyren Harris gave a spoken word performance during the April 19 inauguration ceremony for President George Timmons.
First Letter
By KYREN HARRIS
Glancing at selections that I didn't choose
All of my ancestors manifest as ghouls
Standing in this room
Table full
Everybody wants to know what imma do
Like I'm in a loop full of paper cuts
White envelopes tryna chain me up
Whole ensemble chanting
Saying it's a blessing
But I can't stress about it
Told my family all right
Hold tight
Know it's been a long night
Off I
Go to sign my whole life
For dimes
So I chose the full ride
Sent to NY with my luggage tied round my legs
Trying not to trip
Trying not to dip
But I've been convinced
This is where my skills
Might just get me a deal
Too good to be real
I've been waiting years
Guess we're really starting now
Guess we're really starting now
Make a name, hold it down
Tried to get on stage but the curtains closed
Never tried in my life
Truth be told
I had proper portions with purported goals
Plenty opportunities I knew went cold
Now I'm growing old
Broken soles
City life's been making all my sneaks erode
Still ain't drop a single
But the streets don't know
Nobody really cares...
--
I just went to grab hay
Pricked my finger
Who the F- hid a needle for no reason?
Guess it's just my luck
Stuck up bums staring at me like I'm crumbs on their jeans, asking "Who is he?
Claims to be a rapper but he's weak
Barely spits a verse without-"
Man I know what's going on in their heads when I say I'm tryna link
Because they're superstars
Freshmen, but they think that they're different
Got a little tape and your name got some digits
Following you
Posts look like a GQ image
Peers with a face like I'm a stain on their life
Just by saying hello
Know I won't forget
Almost put you in my Death Note
Rather see you live
Come to grips with the fact you lost out on your hit
Yea I know hurts
*Swear the shimmer made y'all fall for rank,
When the glitter's gone we're all the same.
Imma work my way up out this cage,
And I swear to God you'll know my name.
Yeah, I swear to God you'll know my name*
PHOTOS by CHRIS YURKO: HCC music major Kyren Harris performs "First Letter," an original poem, during the inauguration ceremony of President George Timmons on Friday, April 19.
