Fair Use, Bare Hands

[Intro] I wrote a line on a bus ticket And wondered who owns the ink [Verse] January brief in my bookmarks Saying the fight isn’t small, it’s everywhere Creators counting rent in receipts Labs counting datasets in years My friend sells prints at weekend markets Now she’s watching the courtroom updates Like weather from a far-off town Still deciding her crops [Pre-Chorus] I’m not against learning I’m against forgetting where the learning came from [Chorus] If you want my work, say my name If you use my work, share the flame Don’t tell me it’s progress while I’m holding the bill Fair use, bare hands—standing still I’m trying to stay generous Without getting erased [Verse] They’re building new checklists, new standards, new seals So companies can swear they did it right But on my block it’s simple math— Who gets paid, who gets “exposure,” who gets quiet [Bridge] I’ll keep making songs in my tiny room But I’d like a world that doesn’t call that “free” [Outro] Fair use, bare hands I wash the paint off slowly, like a promise