my mind is weary
because my skin is black
the fighting never ends
we are murdered by enemies
who pledge to be our friends

my soul is tired
because my skin is black
they say move on from the past
as if our great grandparents
weren't working their plantation
disregarding the fact that slaves
have built this nation

my eyes are burning
because my skin is black
crying rivers of tears that lead to
oceans we never see
because American paradise wasn't built
for people who look like me

my heart is hurting
because my skin is black
will it be my brother next?
could it be my father too?
without the love of my life
i have nothing
and what if they take him too?

my skin is on fire
because it is black
a pigment i was born with
that i cannot give back
the darker we are
the more we are judged
the more we are killed
the less we are loved
so we turn to each other
to lift each other up
and now you call us racist
when before you didn't care
you only see a possibility of unity
and i think you just might be scared
we are now aware of our power
that you try to retract
did you forget who your president is?
hmm.. imagine that

we are all weary
we are all tired
we are all hurting
i refuse to tell my son he is less worthy
i refuse to see my daughter cry
and ask why we have to die

because our skin is black

all we have ever wanted was to be treated as EQUALS, as HUMANS, as PEOPLE
America you owe us that!

you say things like
God bless you
let's pray
church is your shield
the Lord's word
becomes your cover
you claim to be of peace
that hate is unreal
as you stab your brother
you are the
all American perfected
piece of apple pie
with ice cream on the side
and yet your core is rotten
you can hide behind script
but scripture doesn't change
as much as your heart
is never the same
or have you forgotten?

quick to point fingers
to judge and pursue
as muddy as creek water
is what flows through you
and yet you smile
you hide behind your
facebook wall
and your indirect posts
as if reading between lines
is a challenge
you make it easy for most
you claim to be right
you bow for the wronged
you love to pick fights
you deny any motive
are you pleased with your conflict
you saint of two tongues?

my silence speaks volumes
bewildered lack of reaction
but don't think i don't see
the devil is present in your "absence"
you hide behind privilege
and your white picket fence
you are safe from a world
the rest of us fight just to live in
so you haven't the right to speak
down on us with
your thoughtless opinions
fools gold you are
you're real to the world
but not real to me
not pure to us
your contradictory life;
transparent as shade is to dust

and you just keep cleaning up

as quick as it began
it ended
i left for sure
a blackness unlike the dark
it was a spacious energy of pure
mountain tops overlooking
valleys and rivers and seas
i stood at the edge at the highest point
and breathed in deep
i exhaled
and felt my wings
looking down there wasn't fear
only peace
i sat and smiled
i wasn't alone
but it was me
and i was free

pushed back into my being
with tubes and wires and machines
i heard the rain
i heard the thunder
and knew God let it be
a new day
a new life
a rebirth of all things

you don't know how it feels
the strength it takes
facing each day
each day the sun breaks
through the clouds
is a rainbow
but the storm still rages
and the hurt takes new form
as you open your eyes
you see the light
it burns
pull the shades you're still in pain
a pill can't cure
you put your life
your future
into the hands with the knife
you must be ready
you must be sure
are you ready
i don't know
stop asking if i'm okay
this isn't life
this isn't real
this isn't me

memories
i don't remember
the land is foreign
in my brain
i don't remember where
i'm going
i don't recall what i say
humiliation
close the shades

knocked down a notch
after just i climbed up
the rope
i finally found myself
and now i must let go
swinging, swaying
it isn't safe
but it is life
and i barely hold on
but forcibly
each day breaks
i push myself
through the dark
open the shades
and i go on

am i ready?
how do i feel today?

i am ready to jump
and let it sway

fighting to forget
but the fight can never end
so the memory always stays
at night when sleep is gone
the mind awakes
i fight for her
she's crying
the girl i met in the street
is the girl i used to be
innocence prevailed
until The Bad Man came
we've all seem him
he's ruined the world
and now we need strength
to rebuild it
will you walk with us
or will you hide behind the lies
with the rest of the cowards
who listens the epidemic doesn't exist
i will take the nightmares
i will relive the memory
if it means she doesn't have to

the girl in the street.

she is your sister
she is your daughter
she is your niece
she is your friend

won't you stop The Bad Man for her?

you left your imprint
on mother earth herself
in our hearts you left your voice
you gifted us with melodies
of most valuable wealth
charismatic grace across the stage
you never did it for fame
originality legendary perfection
spiritual soulful being of peace
from the very first note we heard
music hasn't been the same since
others may have had their King
but we had our Prince
humbled at the idea
success doesn't mean it's over
and openly giving your life to Jehovah
doing good deeds behind the scenes
you were careful and serene
artist first, entertainer came next
you never disappointed the world
until the day you left

and here we all join hands and reminisce
oh the years you got us through
joy, love, hurt, progression
defeating the evils of the industry
giving us hope in oppression
and as we watch the doves cry
we wipe our tears too
how much you're adored
if you only knew
the thunder rolls and we feel the first drops begin to fall
it doesn't erase the emptiness one bit
but it brings us to a crawl
you never meant to cause us any sorrow
you never meant to cause us any pain
so we will be here
bathing in the Purple Rain.

We love you forever Prince Rogers Nelson.

desires beneath the skin
result in sin
and if it is the only good kind
then count me in
where your heart is fast
your hands are too
where the skies roll dark
where the water's blue
it's all aligned for what's to come
and as it starts it's almost done
yet the pleasure overtakes the day
the sin will wash the pain away
you cannot stop
although you fear
what was once a thought
is now too clear
and here you lay beneath the moon
the entire world becomes your room