Note to Self (No. 81)

I wrote this one with the windows open

To let in some fresh air, or maybe I was half hopin'

I could fly away from it all, find a brighter day

But I'm here to live my life and I'll find a way

I got to thinkin', no, it ain't so bad

I've got my friends and my brother and my mum and my dad

And I'm thankful for that, sorry I don't show it enough

These are the people that I turn to when the going gets tough

What up? I give thanks to my mates and crew

Like the boys say, together we gon' make it through

And the same goes for you too, wherever you hail from

The words may change, but we're singing the same song

It's in the key of life, though we might

Forget the tune from time to time, man, we'll be all right

Look at the meters gained, we'll stand in today's sun

You can't yet deal with tomorrow's rain

See, that's life, kid, and we just tryna live it right, kid

'Cause it'll pass in the blink of an eyelid

So get your smile on, throw your hands high

Stay happy with the now till tomorrow arrives

See, that's life, kid, and we just tryna live it right, kid

'Cause it'll pass in the blink of an eyelid

So get your smile on, throw your hands high

Stay happy with the now till tomorrow arrives

If these walls could talk, I'm not sure I'd wanna listen

It's a fine line between a game and a competition

But sometimes I sit back and look at how far we've come

And it's hard to believe it only just begun

Sometimes I wonder if you really understand

The drive that I find inside your encouragement

Sometimes I think about the days way back

Before the hurt crept in, tainted that household name

Love, that very household's name

Now that house holds painful memories for some

Endless card games and road trip charades

Remember the good times, I'm sure there's plenty more to come

See, I'm here now, ear to ear now

Couldn't see through the storm, but horizon's clear now

And I just wanna leave you with these words

No matter where each of us ends up on this earth, for what it's worth

I just want you all to know that I will love you all forever

I just want you all to know that I will love you all forever

I just want you all to know that I will love you all forever

I just want you all to know that I will love you all forever

I just want you all to know that I will love you all forever

I just want you all to know that I will love you all forever

I just want you all to know that I will love you all forever

I just want you all to know that I will love you all forever

I just want you all to know that I will love you all forever

I just want you all to know that I will love you all forever

I just want you all to know that I will love you all forever

I just want you all to know that I will love you all forever

I

'Cause what's life but a journey of bus fares and train rides

Long days, late nights, kick, snares and basslines

Hearts broken and tears shed

Good times spent with dear friends

From sunrise down to sunset, there's still breath in my chest

So I'ma keep walkin' the line, no, I ain't done yet

See, I know it can be hard at times

But you only get one shot, don't let it pass you by

So what if you haven't yet met the love of your life?

So what if you've had your fair share of trouble and strife?

What I'm sayin' when I'm rhymin' this verse

Is I realise we have such little time on this earth

So from my people down the front to the kid up the back

Let me see you crack a smile if you feelin' the track

Let go of your sorrow and be glad you're alive

Let's all be happy with the now till tomorrow arrives

See, that's life, kid, and we just tryna live it right, kid

'Cause it'll pass in the blink of an eyelid

So get your smile on, throw your hands high

Stay happy with the now till tomorrow arrives

See, that's life, kid, and we just tryna live it right, kid

'Cause it'll pass in the blink of an eyelid

So get your smile on, throw your hands high

Stay happy with the now till tomorrow arrives

Talk to 'em, Adit

She wraps a smile around her tired face

Sick of his heavy rap

This Black Betty wants to listen to some Spider Bait

And there's sunshine on the window

But it doesn't make her happy like she should be

And he remains her silver lining

In this tangled cloud of caps and hoodies

What role does she play? The lead female

This is no longer his monologue

It's the long lost story of this he and she

The lyrics to their forgotten song

Built first in single notes, then bars, then whole movements

He sang it proud from the rooftops

She kept it hidden with their ripped ticket stubs in a shoe box

Opposites attract

Until he noticed she didn't know the words

And this flight soon crashed when their wings uncurled

This movement of notes rose and fell off the page in a slow mutiny

Their lost symphony transformed into two remote soliloquies

And this queen of hearts is now too bent to play

Uncrowned, she's pawned off her kingdom in a hasty trade

But it's better to have held aces and castles

And gambled all your stakes, mistakes make jokers of us all

A wrong hand played, it all shuffles and falls

A silver lining somewhere links it all

Loose pieces kept together, taken apart

Back to solitaire hearts

She wraps a smile around his tired face

And he around hers

And for a moment, they aren't so tired