Grown in the grace
of the old shore’s
malarial embrace.
Twist of her fate
and a passing storm,
I was bathed in streams of cortisol:

— runs in the veins, flows.

I’ve been known to feel,
I’ve been known to feel,
I’ve been known to feel like I’ve been swallowed whole.

Sunken, raw, I’ll only weigh you down.
Numb from the day I was brought home
to the island where the blood boils.

— runs in the veins, flows
as something ingrained.

I’ve been known to feel,
I’ve been known to feel,
I’ve been known to feel like.
Feel like I’ve been swallowed whole.

I’ve been swallowed whole.

Born into civil war.
Born into civil war.
Born into civil war.

Born into civil war.
Born into civil war.
Born into civil war.