words coming to fruition through my racing mental
my vulnerability isn’t malleable
my vulnerability is valuable
i am the man i am
because i refuse to be shallow
my vulnerability is my weapon
for that i’m sent to the gallows

calloused by the malice that i face and race against
reminiscing of that joy i felt,
cry ‘cause it came and went
trying to have some optimism
momma says i’m God-sent
thinking about how it’s so easy to pay my mental rent
these thoughts run in and out of my mind
when they wanna come back
they’ll search for the scent again

distance myself and i wonder where my friends went
off to live their lives with looming worry
for that i’m sorry
vulnerability is killing me
but it’s attached to my being

— negassie