The house that turned me from its gate, today the gate is open
The hand that kicked over my rice now pours wine into my cup
Same face, same scar, one layer of silk the only difference
I speak my family name and their backs bend
I paid the price of a tiled house and bought myself ancestors
Before the ink was even dry, I became a man of worth
Who is your father, they ask — I answer as memorized
My real father's name I swallow under my tongue
One drop of ink, and my worth is different
Three letters of a name, and I'm treated differently
Everyone recognizes me now, only now they recognize me
Only the one who gave birth to me lives pretending not to know
In the middle of the market my mother sits
A few handfuls of greens before her, counting coins
She sees my face and starts to rise from her knees
I shook my head, before anyone could see
The man beside me asks, do you know her
"No" comes out without any practice
My mother, afraid dirt might touch my new shoes
Pulls her basket to her chest and steps out of my way
Curse me instead
Call my name instead
Why do you step out of the way
Why do you save me first, again
One drop of ink, and my worth is different
Three letters of a name, and I'm treated differently
Everyone recognizes me now, only now they recognize me
Only the one who gave birth to me lives pretending not to know
I bought my name
And my mother pays the price