Apple of the Eye

Yeah-Nah, it’s a personality ting

never clean… just static in da wirin'

fatal in a quiet way some'in misfirin'

Ain’t my ego leff me unchecked

Ain't be you who leff me on read

or maybe it was me, as crazy as it seem

just saw it as some'in different

I call it copin’; you call it distant.

Got older—composure came in parts,

no straight line, nah,

came as subtle breaks in da heart…

anger never leff me,

just shifted where it can

I see it clearer now

believe it all got outta han',

your mind ran loops.

same grooves.

both got lost in it

And I know it

It wasn’t ever malice

just land as if it were

pressure built slow

turnin’ lovin’ into pushin’, y’nuh

Yeah…

Apple fell at your feet, y’know

not really distant, not really—yuh

part of you in the way

that I tense when I talk

I see it now—don’t always know

what I’m gon’ do. See red. Fall apart.

The apple of the eye, y’nuh

If I haffa break the cycle—hell…

that part ain’t gon be smooth, y’know

Just the apple of the eye, y’nuh

I’m late to it

realization don’t land clean,

ripenin’ slow,

some'in rottin’ in-between

We clash—not loud at first,

more stubborn than sound,

two heads set hard,

neither backin’ down

Said too much—or no ting atta

when it matta'd da most, y’know,

chat turns to who cut deepest, y’know

Wish it was dat simple

just talk, no edge to it,

no razor tone, no cuttin', no slicin’—y'nuh

never come thru how it should…

always trippin, slippin' into rage, Yuh.

every word, blade, got twisted too y'know.

this is how it be now,

we was headin’ here,

just took time to admit dat...

two men locked heads, gripin'!

No pivot,

no direction,

all dis friction, y’nuh

Yeah…

Apple fell at your feet, y’know

not really distant—yuh

part of you in the way

that I tense when I talk

I see it now—don’t always know

what I’m gon’ do. See red. Fall apart.

The apple of the eye, y’nuh

If I haffa break the cycle—hell…

that part ain’t gon be smooth, y’know

Just the apple of the eye, y’nuh

Now I clock it

not proud of it,

just aware of da stance,

how I carry your tone

Same habits, same dance, same choreo.

Graph't me up like I'm some'in daft—Y'nuh

on the ward, anudda statistic.

We know how it goes,

same tension on my chest,

when it’s quiet for too long;

I ain’t separate from that— y'know

dat's da part dat sit wrong wif me,, y’nuh

second version…

but same tree, same roots

wrapped round my throat—noose

I'm beggin' you finna cut me loose,

Never happen'd by design, yuh

but I desire to change it, y’nuh

never leff me hold a pause,

held onto da heat too long

like it answered ev'rytin'—

but it don’t—y'know

The apple of the eye—y'nuh

Yeah…Apple fell at your feet, y’know

not really distant,yuh

part of you in the way

that I tense when I talk

I see it now—don’t always know

what I’m gon’ do. See red. Fall apart.

The apple of the eye, y’nuh

If I haffa break the cycle—hell…

that part ain’t gon be smooth, y’know

Just the apple of the eye