Deadbeat Daddy
my daddy used to sing me to sleep
with labor songs,
whisper me to sleep with stories of faraway lands
where things
were done right.
he let his child dream
cause he knew that while we sleep
Taco Bell births three new chains,
The biggest welfare mamas are steel buildings and
America's just a deadbeat daddy trying to grow up
a deadbeat daddy putting nickels in our cup
when the law says he's got to.
And I guess I should have guessed
your daddy wasn't kind
cause his mouth smiled before his eyes
never caught up
like a store sign flipped to open
but the door's still locked
like America,
saying come on in baby,
your uncle sam's lookin for a fix.
my daddy turned to vodka with a twist of lime
to keep his mind off of
America.
my daddy took off his ties and dressed
in expensive labor unions instead
my daddy was ahead of his midwestern charm.
and mostly, it don't harm you,
the daddy you come from
cause we all grow up
with the same melting molting America
up your ass while you sleep
Taco bell births three new chains around you
and you wonder why you never learned to walk.
your first step was towards your daddy
and your next step was towards your daddy
and your mama wonders sometimes if she failed you
But mostly she's relieved
your deadbeat daddy wants you.
cause America's discriminating
and the brain unlike the skin
is invisibly incriminating.
America takes shots at Blacks.
my daddy drinks shots to forget
America is a deadbeat daddy
the biggest welfare mamas are steel buildings
and so for the most part, we parent ourselves.
my daddy sang me to sleep with the way things should be
cause he knew the hardest part of my history
would be learning it.
so I drink a shot of vodka for my daddy sometimes
and I always make sure it's cold
like America, the deadbeat daddy,
who holds you tight
while you sleep.