BROKEN

BROKEN

Verse 1

From the streets of Illinois, a young Black girl would rise

Carrying the same chains, I saw it in my mother’s eyes

Harriet’s footsteps whisper in the night

Dr. King’s dream flickered, but it didn’t heal my fight

I walked through shadows, tied like the Israelites

Searching for freedom but never finding the light

Pre-Chorus

I tried to change my story, I tried to heal the pain

But no matter how I moved, the scars still remained

Chorus (R&B Groove, heavy and soulful)

I’m broken, yeah, torn in pieces inside

Smiling on the surface, but the truth I can’t hide

I’m broken, every breath is a fight

Carrying my babies through the dark of the night

I’m broken… oh Lord, I’m broken.

Verse 2

My firstborn Neesha, she showed me love so true

I gave her all I had, but I was bleeding too

Then came Celeste, with a light so warm

Her laughter filled the air, but my soul was torn

My youngest Darian, my baby girl, my pride

But still the shadows lingered, still I cried inside

Pre-Chorus

I wore a thousand faces, tried a thousand ways

But broken was my mirror, broken all my days

Chorus

I’m broken, yeah, torn in pieces inside

Smiling on the surface, but the truth I can’t hide

I’m broken, every breath is a fight

Carrying my babies through the dark of the night

I’m broken… oh Lord, I’m broken.

Bridge (Checklist of Darkness – almost spoken, rhythmic)

Dark alleys… broken love…

Empty bottles… prayers above…

Promises shattered… nights alone…

Screaming in silence… a heart turned to stone…

Tried religion, tried running, tried to numb the ache

But my soul was stolen, nothing left to take

Breakdown (soft, haunting)

I tried to change… but broken stayed the same

I tried to heal… but broken called my name

I tried to fight… but the fight was in vain

I’m broken… still broken… drowning in pain

Chorus (Final, layered vocals)

I’m broken, yeah, torn in pieces inside

Smiling on the surface, but the truth I can’t hide

I’m broken, every breath is a fight

Carrying my babies through the dark of the night

I’m broken… oh Lord, I’m broken.

Outro (slow fade, raw and emotional)

Broken as a mother, broken as a child

Broken in my spirit, broken but alive

They’ll never see the story, they’ll never know the cost

A Black woman’s journey, too much has been lost

I’m broken…

I’m broken…