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Sleepless Ocean Lyrics by Mahogany L. Browne

Hands Up Don’t Shoot

0

Because you were born a crumbling mountain

Because they made a song in God’s throat

Called it          Motown          Called it          Black woman

Called it         “what cannot be killed”



Because babies call you mama mammy nanny

Because the black on your skin sings a lemon bath siren

Because no one asks if it hurts to be this Black

Because no one asks if it hurts to be this kind of woman

Because woman and Black mean silent mean invisible

Because you goin’ fight for her babies before your own

Because you know they goin’ kill your babies



Because Khadiatou Diallo

Because Lesley McSpadden

Because Sybrina Fulton

Because Valerie Bell

Because Mamie Til



Because a Black mother know ain't no song for that empty in ya belly

Because a Black mother know ain't no ocean big enough to carry away the corpses



Because you moan

Because you howl

Because you howl

Because you howllll          llllll          llllll          llllll

Because you know the belly croon a ravenous song

Because the sound call the babies back home



Because you home

Because you home

H o m e you be

         Cause you sleep w/your hands thrashing

A lemon wedge beneath the bed frame to keep away an orchestra of ghosts



Because Khadiatou Diallo

Because Lesley McSpadden

Because Sybrina Fulton

Because Valerie Bell

Because Mamie Til

Because your Black mother’s heart be home to a sleepless ocean

         & even the moon shut it's mouth tight          to listen

About “Sleepless Ocean” by Mahogany L. Browne

Read the complete lyrics to "Sleepless Ocean" by Mahogany L. Browne from the album "Hands Up Don’t Shoot". On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Poetry, Non-Music.

"Sleepless Ocean" is performed by Mahogany L. Browne. from the album "Hands Up Don’t Shoot" This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "Sleepless Ocean", explore more songs by Mahogany L. Browne using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

View all songs and biography for Mahogany L. Browne · Trending lyrics · Billboard Hot 100

Frequently asked questions

"Sleepless Ocean" is credited to Mahogany L. Browne. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"Sleepless Ocean" appears on "Hands Up Don’t Shoot".

Visit the Mahogany L. Browne artist page at /artist/mahogany-l-browne for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.


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