Faceless The Poet - Yesterday's Chains (Spoken Word) Lyrics

I was the man of the house since six months old,
A baby boy carrying a weight so cold.
Mom had three girls and me, the only son,
And before I could crawl, I was already the one.
The one meant to stand, the one meant to fight,
In a world where survival meant no end in sight.
But I didn't know, not then, not yet,
That life would make me wear chains of regret.

My mom-she tried, I know she did,
But her demons were bigger than we were as kids.
She raised four, but drugs raised her,
And it's hard to be inspired when life's such a blur.
She loved us, yeah, I won't deny,
But I saw in her eyes the first place she'd fly-
Straight to the smoke, the pills, the highs,
While we sat there, mouths dry, asking why.

Three sisters, all looking to me,
But I was just a kid trying to be free.
Trying to dream, trying to live,
But how do you dream when you've got nothing to give?
The cupboards were empty, just like our home,
And even when she was there, I felt alone.
I learned to fend for myself real quick,
Learned to make peace with a life so sick.

Every night I lay awake,
Wondering how much more we'd have to take.
I had dreams-don't get me wrong-
But no one was there to tell me to stay strong.
No one said, "Keep going, son, you'll make it through."
Mom was gone-off chasing highs I never knew.
She couldn't inspire, couldn't see past the smoke,
And I was left to carry the burden, barely spoke.

But even without her words, I knew,
I had to be the one who grew.
Had to be the man, had to be the rock,
When life hit hard, I had to take the shock.
At six months old, I wore a man's shoes,
Though too big, too heavy, I couldn't refuse.
I watched my sisters grow with hungry eyes,
Watched their tears, heard their cries.

I played the role I never asked for,
Just a boy, but forced to be more.
The world was cold, the nights were long,
And somehow, I had to stay strong.
My dreams-they flickered, barely alive,
In a world where only the strong survive.
I wanted to fly, to rise, to soar,
But the chains of yesterday held me to the floor.

Empty fridges, broken lights,
Nights filled with whispers and silent fights.
I became the shield, the guard, the wall,
But I was just a boy, so small.
The weight of responsibility on my chest,
No room for failure, no time for rest.

And the thing is, I never blamed her,
I saw her struggle, saw her hurt.
But drugs came first, that's the truth I knew,
Even if it wasn't the life she wanted for us too.
I saw her fight, but she always lost,
And we paid the price, we carried the cost.
I was the man of the house, but just a child,
Trying to keep it together when life was wild.

The streets called out, they knew my name,
But I refused to play their game.
I watched friends fall, watched them drown,
But I kept my feet on the ground.
I had dreams-I did-but they felt so far,
Like chasing shadows or catching a star.
No father to guide me, no role to play,
Just a boy lost in the fray.

But still, I rose, I fought, I climbed,
Even when life felt like doing time.
I carried my sisters, carried the pain,
All while drowning in yesterday's rain.
I wore the chains of poverty, wore the scars,
But I refused to stay behind those bars.

Because I knew deep down, beneath the hurt,
That I was worth more than this dirt.
I saw my mom's struggle, but it wasn't mine,
I'd break free, I'd redefine.
The streets couldn't have me, the drugs wouldn't win,
I'd build a future, I'd begin again.

I never had a hand to guide,
But I had something burning inside.
A hunger, a fire, a desperate need,
To break the chains and plant a new seed.
I'd be the man I was forced to be,
But on my terms, I'd set myself free.

And even now, those chains still clink,
Echoing memories, making me think.
But they don't bind me, not anymore,
I'm the man who walked through poverty's door.
I carried my sisters, I carried the load,
But I'm not that scared kid on that broken road.

So here I stand, with scars to show,
But they don't define the man I know.
I broke the chains, I forged my way,
And tomorrow will be better than yesterday.
Mom did what she could, but I did the rest,
I found the strength that made me blessed.

Yesterday's chains-they still haunt my feet,
But they'll never stop my march to the beat.