Message in a Bottle

[Verse 1: The Meds They Made Me Take]
Dear whoever finds this
They said I couldn't sit still
So they gave me pills at school
And said it would help me chill
But my mama said I was just a kid
And my daddy said I was fine
Now I can't remember how I laughed
Before the fog inside my mind

I used to build things outta Legos
Dream big and run wild in the yard
Now I sleep with eyes wide open
Feelin' broken, feelin' barred

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[Chorus]
Message in a bottle
Driftin' through the noise
No one heard me callin'
They just labeled me a voice
Now my truth is floatin'
In the tide for all to see
But back when it mattered?
Ain't nobody ask me

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[Verse 2: The Domestic Policy]
Me and my sister was playin'
When mom and dad had a fight
Raised voices, yeah, but nothin' new
They been lovin' hard their whole life

Neighbor called the cops
Just doin' what she thought was best
Next thing I knew, blue lights flashin'
And daddy got laid to rest

In a jailhouse cell overnight
Mama cryin’ in the kitchen
And some lady with a clipboard
Sayin’ "trust the system"

They took us, split us, told us "heal"
But all I felt was ache
The house was loud with silence
And my dreams began to break

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[Chorus]
Message in a bottle
Driftin' through the noise
No one heard me callin'
They just labeled me a voice
Now my truth is floatin'
In the tide for all to see
But back when it mattered?
Ain't nobody ask me

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[Verse 3: They Gave Me a New Name]
I was born a little boy
With dirt-stained knees and jokes to tell
But someone said I should decide
Before I ever knew myself well

They gave me blockers, gave me shots
Told me I could be brand new
But what if I was fine as-is
Just learnin' what kids learn to do?

I miss the games, the bikes, the fun
Not thinkin’ hard ’bout who I am
But they said "choose your truth,"
While I still played with Lincoln Logs and jam

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[Final Chorus]
Message in a bottle
Cast out to the sea
Full of all the stories
That nobody let me be
Now my truth is floatin'
And maybe now you see
What they shoulda asked before:
"What do you need from me?"

But back when it mattered?
Ain’t nobody ask me