Who Am I To You – an original song/poem

About this piece

“Who Am I To You” exposes and critiques performative activism in Berkeley, California.

I began writing “Who Am I To You” in January of 2025, and am just now putting it out into the world. This piece of writing was originally written to be a song accompanied with chords played on a guitar, but the richness and depth of the content reads more like a standard poem. I feel that adding tunes to accompany these words would, in a way, reduce the impact of certain themes or symbols that shape the poem’s story. I’ve decided to share the chords anyways– just because :).

As my last year of high school comes to an end and I prepare to leave Berkeley and move across the country for college, I felt it necessary to share this piece now. Better late than never.

“Who Am I To You” – by Carina

VERSE #1 (Cmaj7 Em B7)

Perfect place to be

In these downtown city streets

I’m standing in the midst of

Peace and love

‘til the honesty

VERSE #2

Leader of the nation 

With your liberal hats and gowns

You’re putting on a face

When it’s all to cover your disgrace

Minds you left to fend for themselves

Happen to be the only ones that stand out

In your “melting pot of diversity”

A reputation for the world to see…

CHORUS (Em D Cmaj7 B7)

But who am I to you

Am I a token in the monochrome sea of blue?

Golden lights all over

But i’m buried deep under 

When my voice, it’ll blow your cover

Place a safety net when I fall asleep

Cause I’m a helpless wreck

A special guest 

When all that you have for me

Is a city free of honesty

INSTRUMENTAL

(Em D Cmaj7 B7)

VERSE #3

You say my skin is my character,

Anything I earn is without any merit

But then you want to help my people

So what’s it really all about?

‘Cause as soon as it’s December

And you get that fancy letter

You’ll leave with your one-way ticket

To the Ivy League

CHORUS

Who am I to you

Am I a token in the monochrome sea of blue?

Golden lights all over

But I’m six feet under 

When my voice, it’ll blow your cover

Place a safety net when I fall asleep

Cause I’m a helpless wreck

A special guest 

Searching for a place to be,

A city free of honesty

INSTRUMENTAL

(Em D Cmaj7 B7)

OUTRO (Cmaj7 Em B7)

Your lies, they tell a truth

That this place is really just for you

I’m just a golden token

In your city of blue