(Intro) static in my head… days blur together… still breathing — don’t know why. yeah. still here. somehow. (Verse 1) I wake up tired like I never slept, carry yesterday like a unpaid debt. I’ve done everything they said would heal — kept busy, stayed strong, learned how to kneel. Every plan falls through my hands, every win comes with a cost I can’t stand. I don’t ask for perfect, I don’t ask for much, just one damn thing not breaking when I touch. I’ve been loyal, I’ve been patient, I’ve been kind, still get punished for the crime of trying. Every time I think I’m standing tall, life reminds me it can still make me crawl. (Pre-Chorus) I don’t want advice, don’t want a speech. I just want the weight off my chest for a week. I’m not dramatic, I’m worn thin — there’s a difference no one listens in. (Chorus) I’m barely holding, don’t let it show. Smile glued on, but I’m running low. I’m still breathing, still getting through — but every day feels heavier than it should. I’m not giving up, I’m just so tired of pain. If life’s a lesson, why’s it always the same? Yeah I’m here — but I’m barely holding. (Verse 2) People say “you’re strong” like it’s a gift, but strength just means you never get to quit. I hold everything, I fix the mess, then get blamed when I finally feel stressed. Love taught me how to doubt my mind, trust turned into another landmine. They promised change, they promised truth, I learned early promises bruise. I’ve lost time, I’ve lost sleep, lost parts of me I can’t retrieve. And still the world keeps asking me to be softer, quieter, endlessly. (Pre-Chorus) I don’t need saving, don’t need a cure. I just need life to stop kicking when I’m on the floor. (Chorus) I’m barely holding, don’t let it crack. If I stop moving, I might not come back. I keep going out of habit, not hope. Every breath feels tight, like I’m choking on rope. I’m not weak, I’m worn down. There’s a difference no one writes about. Yeah I’m here — but I’m barely holding. (Bridge) Maybe I’m angry, maybe I should be. After everything that’s been taken from me. I didn’t ask for this life, didn’t ask to be tough. I just wanted love that didn’t feel like punishment. still standing. still here. don’t ask me how. (Chorus) I’m barely holding, but I won’t pretend. This isn’t a phase, this is how it’s been. I’m surviving, not thriving — there’s a line between. If I’m quiet, it’s not peace — it’s me conserving what’s left of me. Yeah I’m here… still breathing… barely holding. (Outro) no miracle ending. no sudden light. just me, getting through another night. still here. not okay. still here anyway.

Barely Holding