for they do not know

by Matana Roberts

From the album: Coin Coin Chapter Five: In the Garden...

Duration: 6:55

Coin Coin Chapter Five: In the Garden... cover art

Lyrics for for they do not know

Even if I explained myself, my reasoning, no one would really Believe me. His youngest sister, who always seemed to lack basic Kindness, had turned his entire clan against me by the time I was Able to pull them apart from some of her sorry gossiping ways And so once again, I just laid there. I laid there on Dr. O'Hara' S cold, gray table and wondered, "Does he see me?" Again, gaze so Absent. Another omission that I seemed only included as minor Character in yet another oh-so-pious backstory. Though I liked Dr O'Hara very much, he was always very cheery towards me as a child But that night... that night, all I saw was his judgment. "Gal How could you get yourself in such a mare's nest?" he said, as if I had created some replica of the Virgin Mary's locus on my lonesome The audacity of these rappels with their dangle between they legs! My walk-on happened so blindingly fast, I thank God I don't really Remember how I got from there to here, telling you this old Somewhat stale tale. But I am here, and at least I know through The eyes of my great-granddaughter, I am seen and I have been heard I was not even allowed a burial. Mama straight disowned me Daddy had me secretly buried near the family plot, hoping that By the time she would notice, she'd have been too gone to care My little bits were sent back down to live with they daddy, who in His own grief, or whatever love he had left for me, disappeared Never to be seen alive again. They were lovingly taken care of by Extended family, raised as orphans, but never made to feel as such Told that I had died in a hard childbirth. Which I suppose is Somewhat true, only in that what was birthed was my voice and what Died was my judged silence. Because they didn't know I was electric Alive, spirited, fire, and free. My spirit overshadowing, my Dreams too bombastic, my eyes too sparkling, and my back too true My name is your name Our name is their name We are named We remember, they forget My name is your name Our name is their name We are named We remember, they forget My name is your name Our name is their name We are named We remember, they forget My name is your name Our name is their name We are named We remember, they forget My name is your name Our name is their name We are named We remember, they forget My name is your name Our name is their name We are named We remember, they forget My name is your name Our name is their name We are named We remember, they forget My name is your name Our name is their name We are named We remember, they forget My name is your name Our name is their name We are named We remember, they forget My name is your name Our name is their name We are named We remember, they forget My name is your name Our name is their name We are named We remember, they forget My name is your name Our name is their name We are named We remember, they forget My name is your name Our name is their name We are named We remember, they forget My name is your name Our name is their name We are named We remember, they forget My name is your name Our name is their name We are named We remember, they forget My name is your name Our name is their name We are named We remember, they forget My name is your name Our name is their name We are named We remember, they forget My name is your name Our name is their name We are named We remember, they forget

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