Dear Karen

[Verse 1]
Said
Dear Karen
I had to write this
I had my fists inside a tight grip
I felt micless, I felt voiceless
I felt homeless, Here in the land of the free
I’m paying the price so I can be what you already see
I’m trying to become, but you already done achieved
I hold my hand to my heart to make sure that it still beats
You invited me to the table, but there were no seats
I came willing and able, but there was nothing to eat
So now I gotta stand. I hope you understand
That my soul’s hurting, But that doesn’t mean I’m ready for defeat
I’m just tired of being tired while you sleeping on repeat
My body’s full of bruises but you just keep sleeping on me
Makes me think like you don’t care
Maybe you do?
When I throw my hands in the air, do feel pain, too?
Or do you feel free to fly like the bird flu?
Does your wingspan cover me or just cover you?
Or maybe cover up the eyes of the people that’s trying to cover up
Is that what you meant by when you said, “Just us?”
Or “Justice”?
Or “Just us”?
Is it, “Just you" with no "US”?

[Verse 2]
Dear Karen, it’s me again
My friend said he saw you in the park leaving when
He noticed you were chilling with your dog off leash
You know he tired being tired giving the same speech
But he did it anyway, pulled out dog treats
And you took it the wrong way and called the police
I couldn’t imagine being him having to flee
Harvard degree, on the Board of the Audubon Society
“Here I am watching birds and here we go”
White impression on the black lives like dominoes
What was running through his mind at the time
He acted like a sign of the times and filmed you with his phone
You called home, down at the station where they’re prone
To act off-tone depending on your tone
It could’ve been wrong, I mean all bad
So honestly I think about it, you can’t be that mad
People make mistakes, I mean, yeah that’s true
But people act themselves when fear conquers them, too
So, damn, I guess that was you
Huh, yeah, I guess that was the real you
Imagine how that could’ve turned out
[gun shots]
Police would’ve burned out
[Promise that you sing about me forever
Promise that you sing about me forever]
Would’ve burned out…
Would’ve burned out…
[Promise that you sing about me forever
Promise that you sing about me forever]

[Verse 3]
Hey
Dear Karen and Chris, I had to write this
I wrote you several letters, but you never wrote back
It’s ok, I figured that’s how you would act
But over here, man, people starting to react
I mean the riots started, people tired of being kindhearted
Rest in peace and peacefully protest the dearly departed
But there’s only so much you can do
When you feelin’ like you targeted
I mean that in the literal way, I’m not trying to argue with you
I mean, look at the New York Times, and maybe an article or two
This is not a silo, just a peaceful protest turned pyro
People versus police gone viral
Doesn’t mean that it’s going to be a continuous vicious cycle
I saw the bus union refused to transport arrested protesters
They protested, "This is protection, mass investment"
And speaking of investment
Maybe you and your folks could pay for bail
Maybe the unjust system is like fighting a whale
And we the small tuna you already know that we fail
We just swimming through this ocean and we living through hell
You on land in that castle, can you pass us a pail?
It’s pale in comparison to what we gotta dodge not to fail
From New York to LA
Chicago, Detroit to Minneapolis
All through the metropolis, people sayin’ they not having it
Some fighting for justice some just causing the havoc, it's
Sad but it’s true, I mean, what you gonna do?
You could talk to the other Karens
Let them know what we goin' through
Maybe you can convince your brothers and sisters
Help them, too
Maybe you can hold the hands of your father
And walk him through
All the pain that we got, it seems to be a mystery
The historical history that gave them an advantage
You say you wanna talk to the manager
Now you can manage
This is your opportunity to do some positive damage
And change the world

Dear Karen