Gravel in My Chest

Verse 1 (talk-sung)
It’s 3:17 on a Tuesday night,
Porch light flickerin’, bugs in the light
Radio low, just breathin’ slow
Tryna make peace with what I already know
I said I’m fine, guess that’s halfway true
Learned how to laugh without you
But some nights hit a little too hard
When the sky look big and my heart look scarred

Pre-Chorus
I don’t drink like I used to
Still feel you

Chorus (with the turn)
Yeah, there’s gravel in my chest
Every time I think I’m past it
I don’t miss you every day
But damn, I miss who I was back then
I ain’t broken, I ain’t lost
Just learned to live with what I said
Yeah, I’m breathin’, yeah, I’m blessed
Still got gravel in my chest

Verse 2 (spoken cadence)
Your old voicemail still in my phone
Haven’t played it, but I ain’t deleted it, no
That’s the truth I don’t say out loud
I act healed, but I still slow down
When I pass that turn by your momma’s place
Yeah, that’s ugly, but that’s okay
I don’t blame you, I don’t blame me
Just two hearts learnin’ honesty

Pre-Chorus
I don’t reach for the bottle
But I still feel hollow

Chorus
Yeah, there’s gravel in my chest
Every time I think I’m past it
I don’t miss you every day
But damn, I miss who I was back then
I ain’t broken, I ain’t lost
Just learned to live with what I said
Yeah, I’m breathin’, yeah, I’m blessed
Still got gravel in my chest

Bridge (quiet flex + ugly honesty)
I built a life you wouldn’t recognize
Got stronger in ways I don’t advertise
If you saw me now, you’d say I look okay
You wouldn’t know I still choke on your name

Final Chorus (acceptance)
Yeah, there’s gravel in my chest
From a road I finally finished
I don’t pray for you to come back
I just pray this hurt mean somethin’
I’m still standin’, still in my skin
Still learnin’ how to catch my breath
Yeah, I’m livin’, yeah, I’m blessed
Still got gravel in my chest

Outro (spoken)
Guess some love don’t disappear…
It just get lighter to carry.

Post-Country / Acoustic Hip-Hop / Americana Pop Acoustic-led (guitar first, not beat first)Conversational delivery