So Afraid
Janelle Monae Lyrics

All the kids run around playing free and fun
Children are carefree and enjoying their time without any worries or responsibilities

While the dogs lap around the can
Dogs are content with simple pleasures, like drinking water from a can

Falling down, climbing trees, swimming in the river
Children are adventurous and engaging in various physical activities

No life jacket on their backs
Children are taking risks and not worried about their safety

Daughters sharpen their knives and they hunt for food
Girls are learning to be self-sufficient by hunting and gathering food

Others watch their children grow
Some parents are content with observing their children's development

Mothers going to work
Mothers are working hard to provide for their families

And they shake the hands of a corporate tycoon's ghost
Mothers are forced to interact with the oppressive and powerful forces of the business world

And I'm afraid
The artist is expressing fear and anxiety

Ah, I'm so afraid
The artist is deeply terrified

Ah, what if I lose?
The singer is worried about losing something important

Is what I think to myself
The artist is having internal thoughts and doubts

I'm finding my shell
The singer is searching for self-protection and isolation

I'm afraid of it all, afraid of loving you
The singer is scared of the vulnerabilities that come with being in a loving relationship

I'm a gift and a curse to the wilderness
The singer feels like a mixed blessing to the natural world

When the leaves only turn to brown
The artist is observing a change in the environment

The birds fly high
Birds are free and soaring in the sky

And they wink at all
The birds are playful and teasing observers

Of the grandmothers on the ground
Elderly women are seated on the earth, watching the world pass them by

Rain pours down in the village dens
The artist is in a rainy village, possibly in a rural area

My cousins fetch for lunch
Family members are gathering food for a meal

While I sit in my room writing letters
The artist is in a separate space, possibly isolated or reflective

To my church and things and such
The singer is sending correspondence to religious or other personal entities

Cousins all in the creek
Family members are playing in the creek

Riding high, ride with me
The singer is inviting someone to participate in the fun

And the rain pours down, the cattle dancing, yeah
Despite the rain, the livestock are all lively and playful

I'm afraid, afraid of loving you
The singer is still struggling with fear and anxieties about romance