Human in the Morning

Lyrics

[Verse 1] I crossed with my mother’s tin cup And a coat that had outgrown its sleeves At the station they stamped my papers Like a name was a thing to retrieve They said, “Keep your eyes on the floorboards, Keep your answers small and plain” But I carried the sound of my own name Through the checkpoint and the rain [Chorus] I am not the number on your page I am not the warning on your gate I have hands that held a child through winter I have a heart you cannot confiscate You can teach a room to turn its face away You can make a law and call it right But I am human in the morning I am human through the night [Verse 2] They drew a line around the neighborhood And called the line a kind of care They spoke of us as if we weren’t listening While our neighbors stood right there A boy beside me learned the lesson From the labels on the wall Then he lent me half his orange And the lie grew thin and small [Chorus] I am not the number on your page I am not the warning on your gate I have hands that held a child through winter I have a heart you cannot confiscate You can teach a room to turn its face away You can make a law and call it right But I am human in the morning I am human through the night [Bridge] When they tell you we are beasts Look at who is locking up the bread Look at who can hear a mother pleading And still turn away instead We have stories, work, and laughter We have grief that knows your name No border can unmake a person No decree can make us tame [Final Chorus] I am not the number on your page I am not the warning on your gate I have hands that held a child through winter I have a heart you cannot confiscate You can teach a room to turn its face away Still the truth will outlast what you write We are human in the morning We are human through the night [Outro] Say my name as I have given it Let it stand where you can see I crossed a line drawn on a map I did not cross out me