By: Cedric McClester

From *** galore
To abstinence
Isn’t easy
When things get intense
But I’m enjoying
All the suspense
To me it just makes
Perfect sense

Don’t wanna engage
In casual ***
Which leaves most women
Quite perplexed
But not if they understand
The full context
And they begin using
Their intellects

I don’t want ***
To be at the core
Of what we have
No I want much more
A binding commitment
Unlike before
See when I lie wih you
I want to be sure

I sincerely hope
That you understand
Even if I’m different
From the average man
I don’t wanna do it
Just because I can
I hope you can wait
‘Til I ask for your hand




Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2916.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

Kanye for president
Give me a break
At least his ego’s
Wide awake
I doubt he has
What it takes
We’ve had enough
Fabulous fakes

Kanye for president
Let’s get real
Though it might have
Mass appeal
It’s a notion
That’s surreal
Cos most of us
Know the deal

Kanye for president
Have you heard
If that thought
Even occurred
We all know
That it’s absurd
How could he be
The one preferred

Kanye for president
Pure fantasy
Especially if
You’re asking me
Megalomania
That must be
Fueled by his ego
Don’t cha see



Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2015.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

Abdul and the pirates
Often used to boast
How they had impunity
Along the Somalian coast
Taking ships whenever
The opportunity appeared
Holding them for ransom
So the ***** could be shared

Then the Maersk Alabama
Came into the sight
Of Abdul and the pirates
Quite to their delight
So they came aboard
Making their demands
But the unarmed Maersk crew
Took it from their hands

Abdul and the pirates
Had no idea at all
That they would be the ones
Eventually who would fall

So they took the captain
Who had volunteered
To become their hostage
As towards home they steered
Hoping they could reach
The Somalian shore
Where they would be successful
In demanding much much more

Abdul and the pirates
Had no idea at all
That they would be the ones
Eventually who would fall

A team of Navy snipers
Were quietly on the case
Looking for a target
When the order was in place
Abdul and the Pirates
Unwillingly complied
And that perhaps explains
Why it is they died

Abdul and the pirates
Had no idea at all
That they would be the ones
Eventually who would fall

So they took the captain
Who had volunteered
To become their hostage
As towards home they steered
Hoping they could reach
The Somalian shore
Where they would be successful
In demanding much much more

Abdul and the pirates
Had no idea at all
That they would be the ones
Evenually who would fall

Abdul and the Pirate
Aren’t around to boast
How they had impunity
Along the Somalian coast
Quite unfortunately for them
They’ve become burnt toast

(c) Copyright 2015, Cedric McClester.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

Variety they say
Is the spice of life
Society presumes
To know what you like
But rarely do I find
That they get it right
They don’t know the difference
Between day and night

Haven’t you heard
Opposites attract
The issue never is
About white or black
And while I’m at it
Here’s another fact
Everything depends
On how they act

I’m just telling you
Where it’s at
What I eat
Won’t get you fat
So don’t be concerned
About what I do
Or who I do it with
As long as it’s not you

Haven’t you heard
Opposites attract
The issue never was
About white or black
And while I’m at it
Here’s another fact
Everything depends
On how they act

Listen carefully
Here’s the lesson
It’s no concern of yours
As long as it’s my preference
I’m not looking for your approval
Or your reference
And this is being said
With all due deference

Live and let live
Is the way I see it
And I don’t need a soap box
To decree it
I just need to be left alone
Free of all judgment
Cuz I’m in a zone
And I don’t want to detect
A contentious bone

Haven’t you heard
Opposites attract
The issue never was
About white or black
And while I’m at it
Here’s another fact
Everything depends
On how they act

























Cedric McClester, Copyright (c) 2016.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

I’m lookin’ for a place to belong
Where I’m not judged
And people get along
Where differences don’t matter
Am I wrong
To want to find a place to belong

I’m lookin’ for a place to fit in
Where even losers
Sometimes tend to win
So forgive me
If I say it once again
I’m lookin’ for a place to fit in

I’m lookin’ for a place to belong
Where the weak aren’t victimized
By the strong
And the meek aren’t trampled on
By the throng
I’m lookin’ for a place to belong

I’m lookin’ for a place to fit in
Where even losers
Sometimes tend to win
So forgive me  
If I say it once again
I’m lookin’ for a place to fit in

Now this may strike some as
A hopeless dream
If you can’t make the cut
Or the team
But it don’t matter
How bad it may seem
Never give up
Hold on to your dream

I’m lookin’ for a place to fit in
Where even losers sometimes
Tend to win
So forgive me
If I say it once again
I’m lookin’ for a place to fit i

I’m lookin’ for a place  to belong
Where I’m not judged
And people get along
Where differences don’t matter
Am I wrong
To want to find a place to belong



(c) Copyright 2015, Cedric McClester,  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

He couldn’t resist,
The monkey reference
Racism you see, is
His personal preference
He wouldn’t congratulate
Out of due deference
His competition
Due to his irreverence

So what is his name?
You might well ask,
Ron DeSantis.
But don’t raise your glass
He’s already starting
To show his ***
And the voters of Florida
Might decide to pass

Even though hes' endorsed
By Donald Trump
Who’ll probably join him
On the campaign stump
Hoping it will give him
Some kind of bump
Though in fact it might place him
In a fatal slump

Now, Andrew Gillum,
The Democrat
Talks to the people
Where they are at
About real issues
While chewing the fat
And artfully avoiding
The brick-a-brat






Cedric McClester,  Copyright © 2018.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

A leopard doesn’t change his spots
Or so it would seem
Look at the people
That are choosing his team
They are all our of
A very bad dream
It’s enough to make
You want to scream

A scorpion bites you
Cuz that’s what he does
And few things are different
From the way that it was
Where are the jobs
He said were coming back
They’re nowhere to be found
And that is a fact

A tiger can **** you
Faster than a lion
And he told tall tales
That his people were buyiin’
Cuz he’s such a con man
There’s no point denyin’
He never said how
Now he’s not even tryin’

There are certain things
That are hard to see
Like a snake slithering down
From out of a tree
Without a doubt
He’ll bite you ya see
And his venom will spread
But don't blame that on me!





Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2016.  All rights reservcd.

By: Cedric McClester

Sister Sara’s talkin’ ‘bout reload
I think she’s tryin’ to get my goad
Those who says don’t build it there
Don’t want it built anywhere
You can shake your head and sigh
But it’s American as apple pie

It’s American as apple pie
As American as apple pie
As American as apple pie
As American as apple pie

His campaign ad’s imagery
Of Nine/Eleven is on TV
I hate to even say his name
Because it’s clear he has no shame
You can shake your head and sigh
But he’s American as apple pie

He’s American as apple pie
As American as apple pie
As American as apple pie
As American as apple pie

Divide and conquer
Has become a tool
Cos they don’t believe in
The Golden Rule
So who is it they think they fool
The uninformed and unschooled

It’s American as apple pie
As American as apple pie
As American as apple pie
As American as apple pie

We don’t seem to know no more
What it is that we stand for
Some say freedom
But I’m not so sure
When hatred and division
Is at the core
Of what we’re seeing nowadays
So openly as it plays

It’s American as apple pie
As American as apple pie
As American as apple pie
As American as apple pie

Divide and conquer
Has become a tool
Cos they don’t believe in
The Golden Rule
So who is it they think they fool
The uninformed and unschooled

Sister Sara’s talkin’ ‘bout reload
I think she’s tryin’ to get my goad
Those who says don’t build it there
Don’t want it built anywhere
You can shake your head and sigh
But it’s American as apple pie

(Chorus)
She’s American as apple pie
As American as apple pie
As American as apple pie
As American as apple pie


Cedric McClester, Copyright (c) 2016.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

Bitter or better
It’s my choice you see
I’ve been bitter so long
But where’d that get me
It didn’t make me happy
I have to confess
So I’m trying to be better
I’m doing my best

Bitter or better
Is a matter of choice
And I’ve made mine
So I’m raising my voice
Bitter always left me
With eyes that were moist
So I’m opting for better
As an alternate choice

Bitter or better
Take it from me
You can choose which one
You wanna be
Maybe you can’t forget
But can you forgive
Because being bitter
Just ain’t no way to live

Bitter or better
Is a matter of choice
And I’ve made mine
So I’m raising my voice
Bitter always left me
With eyes that were moist
So I’m opting for better
As an alternate choice

Bitter or better
Are alternate states
Bitter can have you carrying weights
Better wins hands down in debates
And it doesn’t require as many crates

Bitter or better
Is a matter of choice
And I’ve made mine
So I’m raising my voice
Bitter always left me
With eyes that were moist
So I’m opting for better
As an alternate choice

Bitter or better
As the case might be
Which one do you choose
You know about me
It’s your decision
So which it will be
Is it gonna be the devil
Or the deep blue sea

Bitter or better
Is a matter of choice
And I’ve made mine
So I’m raising my voice
Bitter always left me
With eyes that were moist
So I’m opting for better
As an alternate choice

Cedric McClester, Copyright (c) 2016.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

Twenty- seven years
In a prison cell
Like Dante’s Infernal
A version of hell
All he wanted was freedom
For his native land
Where because of apartheid
Things had gotten out of hand

This is a song for Nelson
Who changed everything
A song for Nelson
Is the song that I sing

There on Robben Island
Where he would be still
If not for his courage
And his indomitable will
He led a movement
That endured and prevailed
Even from a prison cell
Locked away in jail

This is a song for Nelson
Who changed everything
A song for Nelson
Is the song that I sing

To say he was transformative
Understates the case
A man for the ages would be better
In its place
He changed a people’s destiny
Saw apartheid get erased
As the father of his country
His name has been encased

This is a song for Nelson
Who changed everything
A song for Nelson
Is the song that I sing

In 1964 an indictment was lodged
Against Nelson Mandela
Accused of sabotage
Which he never denied
Or tried to camouflage
The truth of the matter is
He was guilty by and large
And locked away until he was discharged

This is a song for Nelson
Who changed everything
A song for Nelson
Is the song that I sing

Twenty- seven years
In a prison cell
Like Dante’s Infernal
A version of hell
All he wanted was freedom
For his native land
Where because of apartheid
Things had gotten out of hand

This is a song for Nelson
Who changed everything
A song for Nelson
Is the song that I sing










(c) Copyright 2015, Cedric McClester,  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

Uncle Ben
Ain’t gonna win
But white folks continue
To humor him
He’s now ahead
In all the polls
Like others before him
Who’ve sold their souls

Uncle Ben
Had a violent past
He’d have us believe
That he’s cured at last
But the media said
Not so fast
No one remembers him
As a **** alas

Uncle Ben
Was good with his hands
And could do all the things
That intricate surgery demands
But the dark side
That he's tried to project
No one can remember
And so he's suspect

Uncle Ben
As a matter of fact
Hasn't a rabbit's *** idea
How to reach fellow blacks
Let me give him a hint
Not with a rap that is wack
Because all that demonstrates
Is that he lacks tact







Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2015.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric Mc'Clester

If a stranger came knocking at your door
Would you answer it or ignore
The person on the other side
Or would they just be denied
What if the stranger had come for you
With blessings and forgiveness too
Tell me then what would you do
What would you decide

Ya know it happened once before
It was Jesus knocking at the door
But he was left to wait outside
Rejected and denied

What if you discovered it was your salvation
Outside the door that you left waiting
Looking for an offer to come in
Wouldn't that be an awful sin
And if that stranger would die for you
Be persecuted and go through
What no other person you know would do
Would you let him in

Ya know it happened once before
It was Jesus knocking at the door
But he was left to wait outside
Rejected and denied

If a stranger came knocking at your door
Would you do what they did to Jesus before
Would you leave him standing outside your door
Rejected and denied

If the stranger turned and walked away
Tell me truthfully would you rue the day
That you didn't let him in
Please answer if you can
What if his life served as a lesson
Of forgiveness for your transgressions
Would you attempt to apologize
Once you finally realized
And if so tell them when

Ya know it happened once before
It was Jesus knocking at the door
But he was left to wait outside
Rejected and denied


If the stranger turned and walked away
Tell me truthfully would you rue the day
That you didn't let him in
Please answer if you can
What if his life served as a lesson
Of forgiveness for your transgressions
Would you attempt to apologize
Once you finally realized
And if so tell them when



Cedric McClester, Copyright (c) 2016.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

He was king of disco back then
When they thought it would never end
But I’m afraid it did my friend
And this was the message that got sent
Something like a distant cousin
Disco ***** all of a sudden
When dance music had ‘em buzzin
Hip or cool it just wasn’t

Disco *****
Was what they said
It got classified
Among the dead
Ashes to ashes
Dust to dust
That’s what happens
When things go bust

What it spelled was
Gloom and doom
He was no longer
The hippest person in the room
Chic stopped being au curant
He couldn’t get seated in a restaurant
Like he used to at l’enfant
He was no longer everyone’s confidant

Disco *****
Was what they said
It got classified
Among the dead
Ashes to ashes
Dust to dust
That’s what happens
When things go bust

Yesterday it was all the rage
When suddenly they turned
Another page
Call it dance music
Or new age
The monkey just broke
Out of his cage

Disco *****
Was what they said
It got classified
Among the dead
Ashes to ashes
Dust to dust
That’s what happens
When things go bust

He was king of disco back then
When they thought it would never end
But I’m afraid it did my friend
And this was the message that got sent
Something like a distant cousin
Disco ***** all of a sudden
When dance music had ‘em buzzin
Hip or cool it just wasn’t







011316cm

By: Cedric McClester

There are things
That I’ve held deep inside
Certain truths
To myself I’ve deniend
Self-restraints
That I’ve never applied
See my life has been
One hell of a ride

No matter where
My path has led
Or even what
You might have read
Before I’m long gone
And dead
I don’t wanna
Leave nothing unsaid

I’m a man
With few regrets
Cuz it seems my conscience
Always forgets
Though I’ve gambled
I hedged all my bets
Still I’ve made an effort
To pay all my debts

No matter where
My path has led
Or even what
You might have read
Before I’m long gone
And dead
I don’t wanna
Leave nothing unsaid

Before I lay me
Down to bed
And the pillow
Is securely under my head
I don’t want to leave
Nothing unsaid
Or nothing that might
Somehow be misread

I don’t want to
Have a debate
I just want to
Clean the slate
And while I’m at it
Let me also state
I’m just setting
The record straight

No matter where
My path has led
Or even what
You might have read
Before I’m long gone
And dead
I don’t wanna
Leave nothing unsaid

There are no more
Secrets to keep
And so I’m choosing
To go in deep
I’ve decided to
Take the leap
And there is no mountain
That’s too steep






Cedric McClester, Copyright (c) 2016.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

Give me your tired
Your hungry your poor
But now-a-days
That don’t apply anymore
When it comes to
Illegal immigrants
Cos some contend
They’re here at our expense

Are they guest workers
Or just neo-slaves
Underpaid
So big business saves
And if you think
They’re gonna reinvest
Then I suggest
You take another guess

Is it reform
Or really amnesty
It’s a question
That hasn’t been answered (ya see)
And it’s hard to say
If it will ever be
Given its nature
And its history

Are they guest workers
Or just neo-slaves
Underpaid
So big business saves
And if you think
They’re gonna reinvest
Then I suggest
You take another guess

Now the debate
Is heating up
The law demands
We give ‘em up
But who’s gonna turn in
Their own family
I know I wouldn’t
But that’s just me

Are they guest workers
Or just neo-slaves
Underpaid
So big business saves
And if you think
They’re gonna reinvest
Then I suggest
You take another guess

I really don’t think
We have sumthin to fear
There’s already millions
Of immigrants here
Doin the jobs
No one else wants to do
They’re being exploited
And we are too

Now the debate
Is heating up
The law demands
We give ‘em up
But who’s gonna turn in
Their own family
I know I wouldn’t
But that’s just me

Are they guest workers
Or just neo-slaves
Underpaid
So big business saves
And if you think
They’re gonna reinvest
Then I suggest
You take another guess


(c) Copyright 2015, Cedric McClester.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester
You claim to be Christian
But where’s your Christian charity
You talk, the people listen
But what is it they see
You claim to be Christian
So why aren’t you helping me
Something is clearly missing
From your gospel ministry

You claim to be a Christian
But your behavior is absurd
Proof should be manifested
In more than just your words

You claim to be Christian
But you don’t live up to the creed
You’re against a safety net
For those who are in need
You claim to be Christian
But you’re so slow to forgive
In the final analysis
You’ll be judged on how you lived

You claim to be a Christian
But your behavior is absurd
Proof should be manifested
In more than just your words


You want moral supremacy
But that can never be
Faith lacking in good works
Isn’t faith at all ya see

You claim to be Christian
But you never keep your word
A more accurate description
Might be hypocrite (ya heard)
You claim to be Christian
And while that well may be
Nothing about your actions
Reflects Jesus don’t cha see

You want moral supremacy
But that can never be
Faith lacking in good works
Isn’t faith at all ya see

You claim to be Christian
But where’s your Christian charity
You talk the people listen
But what is it they see
You claim to be Christian
So why aren’t you helping me
Something is clearly missing
From your gospel ministry




Cedric McClester, Copyright (c) 2015.  All rights reserved.

By Cedric McClester

How did it come to this
The people wanna know
We gave them asylum
Guess that just goes to show
Radical extremist
**** in the name of God
Men women and children
Because their hearts are hard

But if the motivation
Was to instill fear
They chose the wrong city
At least it would appear
So it's all right to sing along
Boston strong Boston strong
Yeah it's all right to sing along
Boston strong Boston strong

Long before Bunker Hill
Boston has shown its grit
Old Ironside is floating still
Cause it could take a hit
They might bend but they won't break
No matter what you do
They're Boston strong for heaven's sake
And now they know it too

But if the motivation
Was to instill fear
They chose the wrong city
At least it would appear
So it's all right to sing along
Boston strong Boston strong
Yeah it's all right to sing along
Boston strong Boston strong

It's a false religion
That has terror as its base
And I don't mean Muslims
I'm just trying to make my case
How could anyone believe
That violence is condoned
By God or any religion
That man has ever known

But if the motivation
Was to instill fear
They chose the wrong city
At least it would appear
So it's all right to sing along
Boston strong Boston strong
Yeah it's all right to sing along
Boston strong Boston strong













Cedric McClester, Copyright (c) 2014. All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

Democracy or theocracy
The choice is yours
What it’s gonna be
Take another look
At Lady Liberty
And ask yourself this question
Do you like bein free

There’s no doubt that
Christians have good news
But we here in America
Have the right to choose
Some may refuse to bow
Or to acquiesce
But they’re still citizens
None the less

Democracy or theocracy
The choice is yours
What it’s gonna be
Take another look
At Lady Liberty
And ask yourself this question
Do you like bein free

See we’re all equal
In God’s sight
He didn’t designate
The religious right
To rule over
All the rest of us
So in Him believers
Oughta place their trust

Still some out there
Are bound to insist
That’s fine for believers
But the atheist
Should also have the right
To not believe
So their pursuit of happiness
Can be achieved

Democracy or theocracy
The choice is yours
What it’s gonna be
Take another look
At Lady Liberty
And ask yourself this question
Do you like bein free

She prays in a church
And he a synagogue
But even the mosque
Is still the House of God
More than one road
Leads to Rome
And more than one religion
Claims heaven home

Still some out there
Are bound to insist
That’s fine for believers
But the atheist
Should also have the right
To not believe
So their pursuit of happiness
Can be achieved

Democracy or theocracy
The choice is yours
What it’s gonna be
Take another look
At Lady Liberty
And ask yourself this question
Do you like bein free


(c) Copyright 2015. Cedric McClester.  All rights reserved/

By: Cedric McClester

Attention everyone
There’s an international crisis
For the sake of argument
Let’s call it ISIS
To whom my advice is
Stop it follow your Prophet
Peace and blessing be upon him
Why do you scorn him

We have a crisis
Because of ISIS
Who aren’t the nicest
They’re rolling the dices

Under the belief
The world needs a Khalif
They cause nothing but grief
And we all want relief
With God willing
We’ll stop the killing
And their savagery
Which helps us to see

We have a crisis
Because of ISIS
Who aren’t the nicest
They’re rolling the dices

Without a doubt
In time they’ll crap out
Until then they’ll shout
Allahu Akbar so there you are
God is Great
But love will crush hate
Underneath its own weight

We have a crisis
Because of ISIS
Who aren’t the nicest
They’re rolling the dices

They lack
Mercy or compassion
And in their own fashion
They’ve tried to cash in
On their few conquests
But nevertheless
Despite their success
They’re gonna regress

We have a crisis
Because of ISIS
Who aren’t the nicest
They’re rolling the dices

Attention everyone
There’s an international crisis
For the sake of argument
Let’s call it ISIS
To whom my advice is
Stop it follow your Prophet
Peace and blessing be upon him
Why do you scorn him

(c) Copyright 2015, Cedric McClester.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

I think their skin is thin
When it comes to Mexicans
And their immigration status
Though Cubans can come here gratis
They’re among the baddest
When it comes to having compassion
They act like compassion's old fashion
And so they’re continuously bashing

Others who want to come here
For the same reasons they hold dear
See the Green Card was a gift
For those from the Mariel boat lift
Though they were among Cuba’s worst
They got a path road to citizenship first
While law abiding Haitians were kept out
Tell me what was that all about?

Some want to send them all back
Like a matter of white and black
To the places that they come from
Even if that notion is real dumb
I think they’re talking out of their ***
Cuz who’s gonna cut their grass
Or watch their children night and day
If we take them all away

There are other beside them ya know
They might want to encourage to go
But nine times out of ten you’ll find
That never crosses their mind
So they can go ahead and build their wall
Make it ten or fifteen feet tall
But remember we’re all on the land
Of the indigenous forgotten Red man!










Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2015.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

Call me a chump
But I’m with Trump
When it comes to Carson
He can’t be accused of parsing
When he says pathological
He’s being pedagogical
Using the man’s own words
Which completely under girds

What the man said
About the thoughts in his head
And it’s no more than logical
He said he’s pathological
We must wonder hard
If he’d still go that extra yard
To practice his absurdity
I know the thought’s occurred to me

Cuz if you take a look
Inside his true confession book
You’re gonna be amazed
As he recounts the different ways
He showed off his temper
With his mother front and center
Then a friend or relative
Who he tried his best to shive

It may sound like a joke
But thank God the blade broke
Then there’s the guy that he rocked
With a solid steel padlock
But no one can recall
Because the tales he tells are tall
Though he insists they’re true
But those who know him asked, "Who knew?"

















Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2015.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

By no means is my diatribe polemic
The truth of the matter it was systemic
The CIA created the crack epidemic
Which over time became pandemic
They needed a scapegoat to pay the cost
So they blamed it all on Freeway Rickey Ross
While acting as if he was the boss
In hopes the evidence somehow would get lost

Then a reporter for the San Jose Mercury News  
Came along and gave them the blues
By exposing their involvement they stood accused
Of funding the Contras and substance abuse
Meanwhile Nancy Reagan was just saying no
Her husband Ronald was using the dough
To fund the Contras like I told you so
So don’t pretend as if you didn’t know

Ronald Reagan remains the patron saint
For Conservatives  everywhere even though he ain’t
What they make him out to be despite the taint
Of his secret dealings done without restraint
His secret deals with Iran and the Contra’s too
Was something that very few people knew
See there was no limit to what he would do
To insure that the Communists got the *****

The crack epidemic was allowed to grow
Because of the supply a never-ending flow
From Bogata to other places we know
Fueled by ambition and the money yo
So they shouldn’t pretend to be squeaky clean
While blaming the victims ya know what I mean
When they’re nothing short of being obscene
Though we tend to blame the average crack fiend


Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2015.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester, .

How many funerals must we attend
Before the genocide is brought to an end
How many families must be left behind
Before we regain our presence of mind
How many times must it all be repeated
Before the enemy is finally defeated
When will self-love become our sacred trust
See I’ve seen the enemy and the enemy is us

What good are the candles or the cardboard shrines
When it’s apparent that we’ve lost our minds
What good is a painting of the deceased
When the violence is steadily being increased
When will self-love become our sacred trust
See I’ve seen the enemy and the enemy is us

This ain’t a lecture I’m not here to preach
So let’s call this a form of social outreach
The message is urgent I’ll try to be brief
While sharing insight as to my belief
We are the problem and we are the cure
So we can’t go on blaming others anymore
When will self-love become our sacred trust
See I’ve seen the enemy and the enemy is us

How did we get here is open to debate
But I think you’ll agree the root cause is self-hate
Before another brother or sister is harmed
To be forewarned is to be forearmed
We need to return to our original state
Where we loved one another before the hate
I’ve seen the enemy and the enemy is us
I’ve seen the enemy and the enemy is us



Cedric McClester Copyright © 2015.  All Rights Reserved

By: Cedric McClester

When she bought the house
His mother was smiling
She could finally leave Queens
For the burbs of Long Island
She wanted to leave Queens
Because in Queens the kids were wildin’
But little did she know
So were her little darlins’
The fast paced life
She thought she left behind
Gave her a comfort level
But only in her mind
Call it accidental
Or simply by design
To the realities of life
She was partially blind

This is a cautionary tale
From which there’s no escape
Like the finish of a close race
It’s a tale of the tape

Lampin’ in the burbs
Things seemed to be fine
He smoked a little herb
Because he was inclined
According to most people
You couldn’t find
A nicer fella anywhere
Most of the time
There was another side to him
Ya need to know
Rumor has it
That he moved a lot of blow
But where he sold it at
Nobody seemed to know
It was in the kinds of places
His people didn’t go

This is a cautionary tale
From which there’s no escape
Like the finish of a close race
It’s a tale of the tape

Life’s a mystery
Because ya never know
How long you’re gonna be here
Or when you’re gonna go
So how come most of us
Act like that isn’t so
Living recklessly
Most of the time but - yo
There were those who thought they knew him
But they really didn’t
So many aspects of his personality
He kept well hidden
He did lots of things
That people thought he didn’t
And if they confronted him
He simply wouldn’t admit it

This is a cautionary tale
From which there’s no escape
Like the finish of a race
It’s a tale of the tape

Swing low sweet chariot
The Lord took him home
Only twenty-one
But sadly now he’s gone
Made a left turn
But that turn was wrong
Now he’s a memory
Talked about in song

The bigger they are
They say the harder they fall
It’s an understatement to relate
That he was tall
A giant of a man
About six-five in all
Tall enough to make
Everyone else look small
While in front of his mother’s house
Minding his own business
A gunman snuck behind him
According to the witness
Pumped two in his head
With certainty and quickness
Knocked him to the ground
Where he was still and listless

This is a cautionary tale
From which there’s no escape
Like the finish of a close race
It’s a tale of the tape

Swing low sweet chariot
The Lord took him home
Only twenty-one
But sadly now he’s gone
Made a left turn
But that turn was wrong
Now he’s a memory
Talked about in song

(c) Copyright 2015, Cedric McClester.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

Saudia Arabia
Protectors of the Islamic Faith
Is kingdom that’s not safe
Whose behavior makes one chafe
Under MBS it’s anybody’s guess
Who’ll be killed or at best
Locked away in a hotel
Until their wrists and ankles swell

Although the evidence is murky
In a motion that was jerky
At their embassy in Turkey
They killed Jamal Kashoggi
Before he could light a stogie
And chopped his body up
So as not to interrupt
Their plot to cover-up

How about the war in Yemen
That has no predictable ending
Seems to have ‘em hemmed in
And what they cannot hide
Is that it’s clearly genocide
Which the US is complicit in
In the name of King Salman
Look at the weapons that we send

What we can’t ignore
Are their actions we abhor
Which they must answer for
Or is it business as usuall?
Because of our refusal
To make them conform
To accepted norms
Which should set off alarms










Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2018.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

Proceed with caution
My mind tries to say
But you are so awesome
I want you anyway
I know there’s danger
And still that’s okay
You hold all the aces
And I still wanna play

There’s blood in the water
And the shark’s very near
The screams from the shore
Resonate in my ear
Saying use extreme caution
Get the hell out of there
There’s an excellent reason
For you to fear

Fools rush in
Where angels fear to tread
I’m following my heart
Instead of my head
I have a strong desire
To get you in my bed
And I’m following it blindly
Despite what I’ve said

There’s blood in the water
And the shark’s very near
The screams from the shore
Resonate in my ear
Saying use extreme caution
Get the hell out of there
There’s an excellent reason
For you to fear

So call me crazy
Or call me a fool
Then do your best
To take me to school
I’ve already broken
A cardinal rule
If you’ve been knocked out
Remain on your stool

Proceed with caution
My mind tries to say
But you are so awesome
I want you anyway
I know there’s danger
But still that’s okay
You may hold the aces
And I wanna play

There’s blood in the water
And the shark’s very near
The screams from the shore
Resonate in my ear
Saying use extreme caution
Get the hell out of there
There’s an excellent reason
For you to fear






















Cedric McClester, Copyright (c) 2016.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

Since when did she become
A ***** expert?
Her Facebook comments
Only served to hurt
She talked about us
Just like we were dirt
She lacks the knowledge
But her opinions remain inert

As an anchor of the nightly news
We thought she was objective
Despite her personal views
Which have proven quite subjective
Fortunately her employer’s
Action was corrective
And she was immediately fired
Once her comments were detected

How can she talk about
People she doesn’t know
That just goes to show you
How deep racism can go
Now she no longer has
Her own TV news show
And Pittsburgh’s better for it
As the fair-minded know

Tell me what qualified her
To be a ***** expert
With no ***** experience
For her to assert
Yet she chose a stereotype
To place us on alert
It had to be her own bias
She used to disconcert
















Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2016.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

Bein' locked up
Ain’t an asset
And prison isn’t (a right of passage)
Don’t tell me where you been
Get yourself past it
It’s time to wake up
You stupid *******

I’m gettin tired of hearing
****** talk about
How long they went in fo’
Once they come out
And there ain’t nothin'
That I find more aggravatin'
Than hearin bout cases
That they got waitin
Or when they'll walk out
Of the prison gate
Because they doin time
Somewhere upstate
Now I ain’t mad at ‘em
Because of their plight
I just wish they wouldn’t
Take so much delight

Bein locked up
Ain’t an asset
And prison isn’t (a right of passage)
Don’t tell me where you’ve been
You stupid *******
It’s time to wake up
And get yo’ *** past it

I know some of y’all
Can relate
To doin time
Somewhere upstate
And you've engaged in
The idle chatter
Like the time you did
As if it mattered
And we can find
A true paradigm
Like a broken wrist-watch
That keeps losing time
I realize you may be
Keepin it real
Cos someone convinced you
Prison is the deal

Bein' locked up
Ain’t an ssset
And prison isn’t (a right of passage)
Don’t tell where you’ve been
Get yourself past it
It’s time to wake up
You stupid *******

You run off the names
Like they finishing schools
But they’re been erected
To house you fools
I don’t fault a man
For making a living
If they've factored in
The time they'll be given
Especially if they get caught
And take a fall
For throwing bricks
At the penitentiary wall
What I’m tryin to say is
Get a grip
Before you wind up
Taking a bus trip

Bein' locked up
Ain’t an asset
And prison isn’t (a right of passage)
Don’t tell where you’ve been
Get yourself past it
It’s time to wake up
You stupid *******

Prison isn't
What it's cracked up To be
And if you been there
I’m sure you’ll agree
You know what you did
While you were in
******'s ******
And it's still a sin
See havin prison muscles
Don’t make you a man
If you were tossin salad
Inside the slam
So if you ever been in
Let that be your secret
I don’t wanna know
Why don't you keep it

Bein' locked up
Ain’t an asset
And prison isn’t (a right of passage)
Don’t tell me where you’ve been
Get yourself past it
It’s time to wake up
You stupid *******

How many baby daddies
Ain’t around
Because of bad choices
Now they’re on locked down
Waiting for commissary
And some cigarettes
That they use to barter
And pay their debts
Then history repeats itself
Know what I mean
And the child takes the same road
That his father’s been
It’s an ongoing saga
That just doesn't end
You know what I’m talkin' ‘bout
So don’t pretend

Bein' locked up
Ain’t an asset
And prison isn’t (a right of passage)
Don’t tell me where you’ve been
Get yourself past it
It’s time to wake up
You stupid *******


(c) Copyright 2015, Cedric McClester.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

Beyond the Eisenhower context
We still have to guard against
The military industrial complex
Which requires in every respect
That our government be checked
As we’re forced to question, what is this?
It’s reminiscent of Guerin’s book
Fascism and Big Business

We can clearly see a certain confluence
So we must guard against
The acquisition of unwarranted influence
When surrounded by generals and billionaires
It can directly impact how the populous fares
Because these are un-chartered waters
And didn’t the Nazis claim to be
Just following orders

In Germany, then a democratic state
Neumann said that the ****’s sole ambition
Was to uproot what existed there
Until they could come into position
And we need not forget
As we look at the current cabinet
History frequently repeats itself
So we are to blame and no one else

When the great leader
is surrounded by acolytes
Who defend his positions
Whether wrong or right
It gives us many sleepless nights
And the media gets, a thousand sound bites
Comprised from their various talking points
Out of the mouths of those he anoints





















Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2017.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

Brussels is now on lockdown
Which has us all in shock now
And because we are frightened
Our borders have been tightened
Ever since Paris was attacked
It’s changed the way we act
Sometimes it’s been extreme
If you know what I mean

And now our energy is spent
Finding new ways to be vigilant
So we seem to equivocate
While subjecting others to our hate
As for our values? fair thee well
Cuz nowadays you cannot tell
Exactly who we are
Because we’ve strayed so very far

They can shut down any Mosque
Because of safety at all cost
And so I fear for the time being
Certain things we’ll not be seeing
Like the liberty they once lauded
Now it can’t be that afforded
And so something does not feel right
In the city known for light

What are we prepared to lose
I don’t know, you care to choose?
And if I may be so bold
Should we abandon our very soul
So that we can feel secure
Or does that exist anymore?
Clearly I don’t have the answer
As to how we defeat a cancer








Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2015.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

They’re the party of wealth
Unconcerned with the health
Of the economy
Relative to you and me
The situation’s getting frantic
Still they’re up to their old antics
Of symbolism ‘n semantics
Symbolism ‘n semantics

The problem is gigantic
In fact it’s transatlantic
His approach is sycophantic
But they are quite pedantic
Is he being too romantic
As they come with their semantics
Their symbolism ‘n semantics
Symbolism ‘n semantics

They’ve tried to pass a bill
Over there up on the hill
But despite the public will
They keep arguing it still
They’re complaining ‘bout the pork
But haven’t put down their fork
So we’ll have to wait
But the hour’s getting late

The problem is gigantic
In fact it’s transatlantic
His approach is sycophantic
But they are quite pedantic
Is he being too romantic
As they come with their semantics
Their symbolism ‘n semantics
Symbolism ‘n semantics

It seems they have a crush
On a pill popper named Rush
Who someone should tell hush
And stop talking so **** much
By hoping that he fails
While we lay on the rails
He’s blowin wind up their sails
So how did he avoid our jails

The problem is gigantic
In fact it’s transatlantic
His approach is sycophantic
But they are quite pedantic
Is he being too romantic
As they come with their semantics
Their symbolism ‘n semantics
Symbolism ‘n semantics

They voted millions down the drain
In a war that was insane
But now hear them complain
Instead of trying to ease our pain
Their politics remains the same
But we made our selection
Where were they the last election
Cos it changed the whole complexion
With a call for redirection

The problem is gigantic
In fact it’s transatlantic
His approach is sycophantic
But they are quite pedantic
Is he being too romantic
As they come with their semantics
Their symbolism ‘n semantics
Symbolism ‘n semantics


(c) Copyright 2015, Cedric McClester.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

Three years since Sandy Hook
Yet a mother still cries
Because memories live on
And the pain never dies
But little has changed
You begin to realize
Seems we haven’t learned
What we should despise

Twenty children and six adults
Murdered that day
Amid the screams and shouts
But it wasn’t the guns
So the NRA flouts
In the aftermath of chaos
They’re casting doubts
In between the tears and crying bouts

Nine hundred and ninety-four
School shootings since then
So we must ask ourselves
Will it ever end
Or what will it take
To make it suspend
Having more guns
Isn’t the answer my friend

The pursuit of life and liberty
Is an unalienable right
While that well may be
It’s probably a right
That we won’t get to see
As long as we allow
Bullets to fly free
We lose our lives and our liberty




















Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2015.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

I didn’t see it coming
But now that it is here
The very thought is numbing
That your love could disappear
I’ve often heard people say
That love can be blind
Did I loose you by accident
Or was it by design

I didn’t see it coming
It took me by surprise
Because I couldn’t see
What was right before my eyes

The pain of separation
Is now a reality
So ignore this conversation
About how it’s hurting me
Cuz maybe you don’t care
Now that you are free
And you have no sympathy
When it comes to me

I didn’t see it coming
It took me by surprise
Because I couldn’t see
What was right before my eyes

How am I suppose to fill
This aching empty space
When I cannot replace
Your love - in any case
What am I suppose to do
Without your warm embrace
And who can I turn to
That could take your place

I can only wish
That I had you here
And you need to know this
I still love you dear
Time nor distance can change that
Have I made myself clear
Girl I’m going to the mat
Just to make you aware

I didn’t see it coming
It took me by surprise
Because I couldn’t see
What was right before my eyes

I didn’t see it coming
But now that it is here
The very thought is numbing
That your love could disappear
I’ve often heard people say
That love can be blind
Did I loose you by accident
Or was it by design







Cedric McClester, Copyright (c) 2016.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

The ruling oligarchy
Says it’s middle-class malarkey
To suggest they differ starkly
When it comes to the poor
Whom the rich try to ignore
Cos the haves now want more
Than they ever did before

The strong vanquish the weak
As the oil prices tweak
To the stratosphere they seek
And the profits are obscene
As they pick our pockets clean
That’s why most of us are hurtin
Not the case with Haliburton

Bush is a disgrace
But he does support his base
They’re the rich – in any case
We have challenges to face
And we are gettin queasier
Cos it’s not getting easier

Now we hear
The Green House gases
Threatens all our *****
But the legislation passes
That deregulates the gases
Which pollutes the atmosphere
That’s why global warming’s here

Bush is a disgrace
But he does support his base
They’re the rich – in any case
We have challenges to face
And we are gettin queasier
Cos it’s not getting easier

The ruling oligarchy
Says it’s middle-class malarkey
To suggest they differ starkly
When it comes to the poor
Whom the rich try to ignore
Cos the haves now want more
Than they ever did before


(c) Copyright 2015, Cedric McClester.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

They can be so cruel
When they want to
Make you look like a fool
And then they haunt you
Amanda showed her breast
Because of someone’s dare
She was just a young girl
Who was unaware

This is for Amanda
Who felt she was alone
Because some people have
Hearts as hard as stone

One careless moment
Captured on the net
Never went away
So no one could forget
She compromised herself
Much to her regret
And so it followed her
And made her upset

This is for Amanda
Who felt she was alone
Because some people have
Hearts as hard as stone

Her name was Amanda
She was someone’s child
Who was cyber bullied
Too bad she’s dead now
Amanda couldn’t take
All the stress and strife
And she got so depressed
That she took her own life

This is for Amanda
Who felt she was alone
Because some people have
Hearts as hard as stone

This is for Amanda
Who felt she was alone
Because some people have
Hearts as hard as stone
Where are they all now
Hope they’re satisfied
She was bullied up until
The very day she died

This is for Amanda
Who felt she was alone
Because some people have
Hearts as hard as stone


(c) Copyright 2015, Cedric McClester.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

Despite some misconceptions
And attacks
Endure for centuries
By us blacks
Let me lay down
Some unknown facts
How ‘bout we start with
Henrietta Lacks

For most of us
After our death
Other than memories
What else is left?
For our survivors
The bereft
Yet her cells live on
It’s a matter of theft

From Henrietta’s
Cancerous cells
A bold idea
Suddenly jells
Spawning cures for cancer
As her biographer tells
And in vitro fertilization
Other things as well

Science took complete advantage
Of her cells
Which they still manage
Though she died of cervical cancer
Her cells provided them
With the answer
To scientific mystery
Check out her cells history











Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2017.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

I am not your *****
Nor am I your black
African-American
As a matter of fact
I am not anyone
You choose to define
Other than a person
Of the human kind

I am not your *****
Nor am I your black
African-American
As a matter of fact
I escaped slavery
Many years ago
But the way I’m treated
You would never know

I am not your *****
Nor am I your black
African-American
As a matter of fact
Black lives matter too
Just the same as yours
We’ve fought and died in every one
Of your many wars

I am not your *****
Nor am I your black
African-American
As a matter of fact
I’m not for your convenience
Though you may think I am
See I’ve never had an uncle
By the name of Sam









Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2017.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

That man is my brother
But I don't know his name
What we share in common
Is we both bleed the same
I am not superior in my humanity
Just because my brother
Doesn't look like me

Why is it we demonize
The people that we see
Who are a little different
From folks like you and me
Because their views are opposite
From the ones we have
Doesn't automatically
Make their views all bad

That woman is my sister
In case you were in doubt
She wears her head covered
And I wear my hair out
Though she worships Allah
And I love Jesus Christ
She is still my sister
Don't think about it twice

Why is it we demonize
The people that we see
Who are a little different
From folks like you and me
Because their views are opposite
From the ones we have
Doesn't automatically
Make their views all bad

God made one humanity
From a single pair
Of those ancient parents
That all of us do share
We're different tribes and nations
By God's own design
So we'd know one another
Let's all keep that in mind

People the world over
Are basically the same
Despite various differences
In culture and in names
They want for their children
What we want for our own
The chance to grow and prosper
And to be left alone

Why is it we demonize
The people that we see
Who are a little different
From folks like you and me
Because their views are opposite
From the ones we have
Doesn't automatically
Make their views all bad

God made on humanity
God made on humanity
God made on humanity
God made on humanity


Cedric McClester, Copyright (c) 2016.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

Going to the Mosque to pray
Five times a day
Doesn’t make her devout
If she’s going astray
Wearing her hijab in public
Each and every day
Does not mean that she was devout
No matter what you say

How could she have been devout
But clearly disobey
One of the most important things
That the Qu’ran has to say
The unjust killing of the innocent
Can never be okay
It’s as if she killed everyone
In the world today

How could she be saleheen
And do the things she did
With no precedence in sunnuh
That’s doing what Shaytan bid
Islam encourages mercy
And she did not show none
Which adds to the controversy
When she opened fire with her gun

Her devoutness shouldn’t be measured
By how she outwardly appeared
If her Islam had been treasured
All she had to do was adhere
To its principles and tenets
Which clearly she did not share
Nor did she offer penance
That anyone could hear























Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2015.  All rights reserved.

Cedric McClester

It’s just a cogent observation
We never was a civilized nation
So what’s the point in now losing patience
With the fact that we’ve been complacent
About gun violence as you might have guessed
Has us returning to the wild wild West
‘Cos the bullets fly with remarkable success
And so few of us rise up to even contest

We never was a civilized nation
Let the so-called Indians make that citation
Based on their years of deprivation
With seemingly little or no cessation
Ask the victims of the atom bomb
Whose shockwaves could be felt form Japan to Guam
Had them on their knees reciting the 23rd Psalms
When the mushroom cloud settled there was an irie like calm

We never was civilized
And that’s a sad fact
Today we can Google every single act
Of past atrocities from way way back
No sense in exceptionalists becoming outraged
When the examples are there page after page
Under a glaring spotlight they’re center stage
Ask the African slaves who were shackled and caged

We never were civilized
So the chickens came home to roost
And they didn’t even have to be induced
Once the hounds of hell had been cut loose
Now they’re asking, “What we gonna do?”
See this didn’t just happen out of the blue
And it’s clear to us there has to be a missing *****
When the Gog and Magog start getting through


Cedric McClester, Copyright (c) 2015.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

It’s a witch hunt
Donald Trump insists
But listen closely
And then dig this
You don’t hunt witches
Where none exists
Despite the President’s anger
And him balling his fist

It’s a witch hunt
You’ll hear him shout
At various rallies
But there is no doubt
He runs the coven
And they’re all about
In his administration
As well as out

It’s a witch hunt,
That Mueller probe
But Trump lacks the patience
Shown by a Job
The investigation
Stays on his frontal lobe
And he appears naked
Without a bathrobe

It’s a witch hunt
And Mueller’s caught witches
He’s indicted dozens
Of those sons-of-*******
The president needs to
Be kicked in his breeches
Because the emoluments
Adds to his riches




Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2018.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

I’m in the streets
Tryin to get some flow
I do what I gotta
When my paper’s low
But I love my baby
And she lets me know
That what we have
Can only grow

I’m as much hers
As she is mine
I love my baby
She’s a special kind
I did the crime
But she did my time
Hood love saved me
And it’s good love baby

I’m on my grind
Both night and day
I do what I do
For the pay
But she don’t care
What people say
My baby loves me
Anyway

I’m as much hers
As she is mine
I love my baby
She’s a special kind
I did the crime
But she did my time
Hood love saved me
And it’s good love baby

They found my stash
She took the weight
But some of y’all
Find it hard to relate
How could I
Let her go upstate
But for me it was life
Her less than eight

See I appreciate
The love she gave me
There’s no ifs ands
Buts or maybe
She’s the mashed potatoes
And I’m the gravy
Hood love saved me
And it’s good love baby

They found my stash
She took the weight
But some of y’all
Find it hard to relate
How could I
Let her go upstate
But for me it was life
Her less than eight

I’m as much hers
As she is mine
I love my baby
She’s a special kind
I did the crime
But she did my time
Hood love saved me
And it’s good love baby



(c) Copyright 2015, Cedric McClester.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

Don’t know what to say
Other than fairwell
Death has finally claimed
Another venerable hotel
Where everyone from
Sid Vicious to Dee Dee Ramone
At one time or another stayed
And called it their home

Requiem for the Chelsea
May she rest in peace
Now that all activity inside her
Has finally ceased
Closed for renovations
See we’ve heard that before
The death knell has been tolled
She ain’t coming back no more

Nevermore to open
In its present incarnation
Cos now the Chelsea’s history
Despite the acclamations
What the future holds
Is anybody’s guess
But if I’m forced to take one
I’d say condos at best

The Chelsea was a grand hotel
Back there in the day
Name me one musician
Who didn’t book a stay
The Chelsea was iconic
What else can I say
Except that it’s ironic
That it went down that way



Cedric McClester, Copyright (c) 2016.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

How many heartbeats are left?
For someone who created
The nation’s greatest theft
By stealing a national election
Leaving others bereft
How many heartbeats ‘til death?

How many heartbeats are left?
For someone who is heartless
Or lacks empathy at best
Just how many would you
Venture to guess
How many heartbeats ‘til death?

How many heartbeats are left?
I’m not just asking in jest
How long will his heart
Continue to compress
Before it stops beating in his chest
How many heartbeats ‘til death?

How many heartbeats are left?
I pose this strange question
Just merely to suggest
That the exact number
Can’t be assessed
How many heartbeats ‘til death?















Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2017.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

I heard the news
And it was numbing
Cuz so few of us
Saw it coming
The icon had
A sad homecoming
To a funeral dirge
And muffled drumming

Bowie dead at 69
Yet again reinvented
Read the headline
Now he belongs
To the annals of time
The rarest of treasures
You will find
It’s so sad that he’s crossed the line

I can’t imagine
Where to start
Was he an artist,
Or was he art?
A master of
The record chart
From Paris France
To Germany’s Stuttgart

And now the world
Must say farewell
To the clanging of
A cathedral’s bell
But he left music
To compel
Those of us
Who wished him well























Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2016.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

Just another day
Of gun violence and fear
In the United States
So by now it should be clear
That our legislators
Must not even care
They haven’t taken action
Since they’ve been in there

Just another day
Of gun violence and fear
Permeating acrid smoke
In the atmosphere
Bodies lying motionless
After the smoke clears
And it’s happening so frequently
We’ve run out of tears

Just another day
Of gun violence and fear
But we’re not talking Middle East
It’s happening right here
Every week we seem to have
Another cross to bare
But the NRA will usually say
That we shouldn’t despair

Just another day
Of gun violence and fear
The question is how do we
Make it disappear
Before we meet our Armageddon
In a clearing near
If you have a good answer
Would you care to share?




















Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2015.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

Why is she afraid
To tell her truth
That she was molested
And the proof
Is available
And can be found
But she’s afraid
Despite how it may sound

She has every right
To be afraid
Now that the allegations
Have been made
She has been threatened
Beyond belief
All that she desires
Is relief

Both of ‘em say
They Want to be heard
To not allow her time
Is just absurd
When it’s s a matter
Of  giving her one more day
Why are they in such
A hurry anyway?


How come she didn’t
Say something then?
That’s a question
Mainly posed by unenlightened men
Who don’t care
How much she has at risk
That makes me mad enough
To ball my fist












Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2018.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

What’s authentic
And what is not
When you’re trapped inside
The body that you got
And you say to yourself
I don’t think I’m hot
And you dream about transitioning
More frequently than not

What’s authentic
And what is not
When you’re a married man
Whose wife is hot
But she evokes your envy
Because of the body she’s got
So you begin trying on her dresses
And her other things a lot

What’s authentic
And what is not
When you grow up on TV
As a celebrity’s tot
And they say that you
Don’t smile an awful lot
Despite the many gifts
That plastic surgery brought

What’s authentic
And what is not
I’ve been thinkin’
About it a lot
Seems everybody
Gets a shot
But the fame game
Puts ‘em on the spot









Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2015.  All rights reserved.

By: Cedric McClester

Daddy was an absentee
Momma was on crack
Although I love the both of them
They didn’t love me back
I grew up the hard way
Ya see that’s just a fact
So maybe that explains
Why I act the way I act
They say if you don’t learn from it
History just repeats
So I spent my adolescent years
Runnin’ in the streets
I was selling dope
Where the junkies came to meet
And I’ve seen homies gunned down
In front of my feet

Ya had to watch yo’ back
Even as a little kid
Depending on of course
The people you hung with
I was with a fast crowd
Guess it was obvious
They only worshiped money
And no one did they trust
I learned to be like ‘em too
And do the things I saw them do
Like being loyal to a crew
While hoping no one got to you
Especially someone that you knew
Oh you’d be paranoid too
If you went through
What I’ve been through

Why I act the way I act?
Is that a question or attack?
Why did I give up selling smack?
How come I turned to selling crack?
Here’s a word to the wise
Don’t take the time to analyze
I have my reasons and besides
I’m not the kind who confides

Maybe it was preordained
From the very start
Who knew that I’d turn
Drug dealing into an art
Or have an ozone layer size
Hole inside my heart
That can make it very difficult
For an EKG to chart
I had to make a living
So I don’t apologize
For certain aspects of my life
That you may well despise
What gives you the right
To judge me or criticize
Or determine where I go
Straight to hell or if I rise

Why I act the way I act?
Is that a question or attack?
Why did I give up selling smack?
How come I turned to hustling crack?
Here’s a word to the wise
Don’t take the time to analyze
I have my reasons and besides
I’m not the kind who confides

I’m a victim of circumstance
A brother from the hood
Who decided to take a chance
Because I thought I should
Do whatever I had to do
Almost anybody would
Come up with an escape plan
For their greater good
You don’t have to agree with me
Or the methods that I chose
You don’t have my history
As everybody knows
See you didn’t have to struggle
From the depths from which I rose
And you don’t have to constantly
Make sure you’re on your toes

Why I act the way I act?
Is that a question or attack?
Why did I give up selling smack?
How come I turned to hustling crack?
Here’s a word to the wise
Don’t take the time to analyze
I have my reasons and besides
I’m not the kind who confides

I’ve got lots of cash machines
To count the wages of my sins
I’m a man of means by all means
And I have lots of ends
I drive all around this town
In a chauffeured Mercedes Benz
Though you can view me if you like
Through a magnifying lens
And I’ve beat more court cases
Than Jackie Robinson
Has stolen bases
I’ve made mistakes but keep your places
That’s why pencils have erasers
And some folks take their drinks
With chasers

Why I act the way I act?
Is that a question or attack?
Why did I give up selling smack?
How come I turned to hustling crack?
Here’s a word to the wise
Don’t take the time to analyze
I have my reasons and besides
I’m not the kind who confides

(c) Copyright 2015, Cedric McClester.  All rights reserved

By: Cedric McClester

I don’t have a racist bone in my body
But I’m called a racist anyway
People tend to judge me
By the things I say
I’m a product of my environment
You hear the “N” word eveyday
So I understand their sentiment
When their judgment comes into play

I don’t have a racist bone in my body
But I’m called a racist anyway
Cuz they don’t know my heart
But they can hear what I say
And sometimes it is offensive
That much I will admit
Why anyone close would tape me
Is what I really don’t get


I don’t have a racist bone in my body
But I’m called a racist anyway
If it was your daughter’s boyfriend
I wonder what you would say
Now I’m not justifying
The word I chose to use
But let’s not pretend
That I haven’t paid my dues


I don’t have a racist bone in my body
But I’m called a racist anyway
And I have an image to protect
That I guess I’ve thrown away
Now my adoring public
Will no doubt make me pay
So believe me when I say I’m sorry
What else can I say








Cedric McClester, Copyright © 2016.  All rights reserved.