Garden Valley Girl, living in this crazy world Garden Valley Girl, living in this crazy world Garden Valley Girl, living in this crazy world Garden Valley Girl, living in this crazy world Garden Valley Girl, diamond under pressure Grew up in the projects but we never measured lesser Bodies on the concrete, still I kept my posture Black and trans and beautiful—fightin’ till forever I’m that Garden Valley Girl… yeah, I’m still her ’90s Cleveland, Garden Valley bricks and busted screens Two families on my daddy’s plate, we wasn’t the one he mean He juggled hearts like bills then dipped, left us in the scene Streets was wild—walkin’ to school past bodies laid out clean Anton Grdina hallway, bully thought he had the juice Pencil in his ear, taught him real quick I don’t play cute Moved on up to MLK, tried to breathe a little air Mom threw house parties every weekend, whole block was there We was popular, poppin’, music thumpin’ through the floor But under all the laughter, pressure still was at the door Garden Valley Girl, diamond under pressure Grew up in the projects but we never measured lesser Bodies on the concrete, still I kept my posture Black and trans and beautiful—fightin’ till forever I’m that Garden Valley Girl… yeah, I’m still her Fought my brother just for being me, every single day Family brawl one night, fists flyin’, nobody backed away School was my escape—A’s and B’s, choir every week Marching band, that horn in my hands, the only time I felt free Lost my virginity to a football boy, quick and hush Body said one thing, brain kept whisperin’ soft and lush Wore my mama’s clothes in secret, drew a girl named Tiffany Little kid already knowin’ this skin ain’t the real me Mom worked two, three jobs so we stayed above the dirt Her grind became my blueprint, finished school ‘cause of her Garden Valley Girl, diamond under pressure Grew up in the projects but we never measured lesser Bodies on the concrete, still I kept my posture Black and trans and beautiful—fightin’ till forever I’m that Garden Valley Girl… yeah, I’m still her Eighteen years old I went lookin’ for myself and found her Jail bars, shelter nights, three hots and a cot, still proud of her Men was tricky, love was lessons wrapped in pretty lies Now I’m thirty-eight, good money, regular life, still rise Strong Black and trans, the fight don’t ever really end But pressure made the diamond—I’m the beauty in the wind From the Valley to the shelter to the grind that pays the rent Every scar a chapter, every scar a testament I was never poor in spirit even when the streets was cold Mom’s work ethic in my bones, that’s the story that I hold A’s and B’s and choir songs, pencil in a bully’s ear House parties and the brawls, the love that disappeared Body of a boy, brain of a girl, finally aligned Now I’m livin’ loud and clear, no more hidin’ what’s mine Garden Valley raised me tough, Cleveland winters made me hard But the softest part of me still sings the sweetest part Garden Valley Girl, diamond under pressure Grew up in the projects but we never measured lesser Bodies on the concrete, still I kept my posture Black and trans and beautiful—fightin’ till forever I’m that Garden Valley Girl… yeah, I’m still her Beauty despite the bullshit… still her Garden Valley Girl… forever her
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