Dagenham Dream

[Verse: Devonté Hynes]
We received our bloody circles in the mail
Only see what's really important when it's nailed
As a teen, my Lord and savior was a male
Tightened truss and six steel strings that keep me frail
It's the worst I've ever felt, when it hailed
Broken teeth and bloody nose but least it snowed
Instantly dry, oh, I cried and cut a line
In my eyebrow, acted like the boys in town
Then my teacher told me that this made her sad
Had to act just like the others to get around
Friday nights alone in Ilford with my board

[Outro: Janet Mock]
Like, growing up I have always heard or like, I was always hyperaware of
The things that the people around me who were charged with my care
Or told me, like, be silent or be quiet
Or be ashamed or hide
Or perform a version of myself that wasn't really me
And so, I think that through my life I've always been hyperconscious and aware of not going into spaces and seeking too much attention
Um, because part of survival is, like, being able to just fit in
To be seen as normal and to, like, quote-unquote belong
But I think that so often in society in order to belong means that we have to, like, shrink parts of ourselves