Old Suitcase

[Verse 1] Mum kept bills in a tin Dad kept quiet in his chin I learnt smoke from the room And how to read the mood Flats with the peeling paint Names on the door, they fade But I still know that floor The steps, the creak, the weight My brother slept in the top bunk I prayed hard for a bigger one Shared plates, shared blame Still, we all wore the same sun I saw my mum count coins Like she was counting on me So I stood up straight Even when I couldn't breathe [Pre-Chorus] Tell me who I was meant to be When the mirror only knew the street I was born in the middle of a storm Still, I kept my name warm [Chorus] I know who I am I know who I am From my mother's hands To the scars that I scan I know who I am I know who I am When the world says bend I don't break, I stand [Verse 2] They asked for a version of me Small enough to fit their room So I learned to speak in truth Even when it changed the mood Cousins all around the table Laughing over chips and tea One auntie said, "Hold your head" Like that was poetry to me I got my father's brow And my mother's steady stare I got both their fears And the way they still showed care If I ever feel lost I go back to where I began Hear my little one ask "Are you still that man?" [Pre-Chorus] Tell me who I was meant to be When the mirror only knew the street I was born in the middle of a storm Still, I kept my name warm [Chorus] I know who I am I know who I am From my mother's hands To the scars that I scan I know who I am I know who I am When the world says bend I don't break, I stand [Bridge] And I carry the old days Like a photo in my chest Some were heavy, some were holy Some I had to put to rest But every hard road home Left a mark I can’t deny So if you hear me now That's my family speaking high [Chorus] I know who I am I know who I am From my mother's hands To the scars that I scan I know who I am I know who I am When the world says bend I don't break, I stand