Ani Difranco Paradigm Lyrics

Paradigm Lyrics

I was born to two immigrants

Who knew why they were here

They were happy to pay taxes

For the schools and roads, happy to be here



They took it seriously

The second job of citizenry

My mother went campaigning door to door

And holding to her hand was me



Yeah I was just a girl in a room full of women

Licking stamps and laughing

I remember the feeling of community brewing

Of democracy happening



But I suppose like anybody, I had to teach myself to see

All that stuff that got lost on its way to Church

All that stuff that got lost on its way to school

All that stuff that got lost on its way to the house of my family

All that stuff that was not lost on me



Yeah teach myself to see each of us

Through the lens of forgiveness

Like we're stuck with each other, God forbid

To teach myself to smile and stop and talk

To a whole other color kid



Teach myself to be new in an instant

Like the truth is accessible at any time

Teach myself it's never really one or the other

There's a paradox in every paradigm



Yeah I was just a girl in a room full of women

Licking stamps and laughing

I remember the feeling of community brewing

Of democracy happening