[Intro: Ma, Mature Female Rap]
Five-ten bus. Six o'clock floor.
One key in my pocket, three jobs for one door.
Coffee gone cold, first train underground.
Clock in quiet. Do not make a sound.

[Verse 1: Ma, Mature Female Rap]
I clean office glass before daylight lands,
Empty their baskets with bleach on my hands.
At nine, I serve trays under hospital lights,
Lunch into dinner, double into nights.
At six, I stock shelves while the prices climb,
Smile at the register, count down my time.
Bleach on my shoes, brushed steel at my heels;
My ankles tell the truth that the paycheck conceals.

[Chorus: Ma, Mature Female Rap]
Three jobs, one key, one lock that knows me,
Bus before sunrise, cold cups of coffee.
Three jobs, one key, do not call me poor;
I pay with my back just to open this door.
When wages run thin and the rent outruns pay,
I carry this home at the end of the day.

[Verse 2: Ma, Mature Female Rap]
Your father painted these railings blue,
Before the fever came and the savings fell through.
The neighbors brought soup, Rafi carried bread;
Alvarez fixed the loose leg on your bed.
You learned every letter on the third-floor stair,
While I sat for a minute and caught my air.
Your height marks still climb by the kitchen frame;
Northline says "unit." I call it home all the same.

[Chorus: Ma, Mature Female Rap]
Three jobs, one key, one lock that knows me,
Bus before sunrise, cold cups of coffee.
Three jobs, one key, do not call me poor;
I pay with my back just to open this door.
When wages run thin and the rent outruns pay,
I carry this home at the end of the day.

[Verse 3: Ma, Mature Female Rap]
Last Tuesday my knee gave out by the train;
I stood before anyone could study my pain.
No time for a doctor, no shift I can spare;
Miss one day and the fridge turns bare.
My manager asked if my focus was split;
I nodded and chose which bill had to sit.
At home, you slept with the rent sheet near;
Pen in your hand, jaw set hard with fear.

[Bridge: Narrator, Young Female Rap]
Ma, I thought you held this whole place alone,
Like the brick knew your shoulder, the pipe knew your bones.
Now I see Ma's long shift in each neighbor's stance;
Rent takes the paycheck before groceries stand a chance.

[Instrumental Break][Fingerpicked guitar circles the three-note Rhodes motif while the brushed 6/8 drums fall away and return.]

[Final Chorus: Narrator and Ma]
Three jobs, one key, but no lock claims my name;
Floor after floor, tired hands do the same.
Three jobs, one key; let the whole floor know.
Bring every notice and show what they owe.
We carry this city from morning to night;
Now we carry our keys to the same shared fight.

[Outro: Ma, Mature Female Spoken]
Five-ten bus. Six o'clock floor.
Tomorrow I take this key
to one more door.