Every promise I remember keenly
The deep rooted voice
That African American tone
Every promise with a smile
Ingrained, fabricated with love
Explaining away idiosyncrasies
Promises need to cease

Every promise meant so much
Someone was listening
Felt like someone was asking
And these first few years
Just had people telling me
Mistakenly believing in me
Promises not for me

Every promise laid bear
There was a different tone
Whenever you were there
The joyous smiles that filled me
Smile or cry on cue
Did anything to avoid you
Promises were never you

Every promise dig deep
Pound of earth
Heaped on me
Started losing that purity
Started emulating what I see
Became fake, actor portraying me
Promises left me

Every promise promised more
Silence spoke for me
Lost every expectation
Of anything you had in me
Slowly moved toward my own way
Avoiding every reality the long way
Promises aweigh