I heard the beating of our drums.
I heard the howling of our voice.
I heard the pounding of our feet.

I am lost within the dancing-
Within the tribe's own soul
as if its spirit found me...
                                 and chained me...
                                                       and claimed me...
                                                                              ....and refused to let me go...

When life took me through doldrums
And times of distress
I looked to the future
And dreamt of success
When I came close to crumbling
My dream carried me through
The days I faced failure
I dreamed instead I could fly
For years I had plans
I knew I wouldn’t be like the rest
Settling for practicality
I would be the one who made it
But society called me crazy
For daring to try
I decided to settle
I looked through a filter called reality
And with a dull knife
Dipped in regret
I clipped my own wings
And sometimes I remember
The dream I once had
I can feel it coming up
The song I once wanted to sing
So I choke it down
And pretend it’s not there
I painfully swallow the ambition’s I had
Then turn a blind eye to the pain in my heart
The voices of practical and new dreams
Console me each night
And they tell me the payoff is
That my dreams don’t get crushed,
But that’s only because
I’ve crushed them myself.

You raised me on your own.
You kept me,
Even though I am the constant reminder.
The reminder of my father.
He beat you.
He starved you.
Yet you kept me.
Raised me.
Never regretted me.
Do I look like him?
Do I remind you of him?
You left him.
I thank God that you did,
Because if you didn’t
I wouldn’t be here.
You don’t need a man.
You are strong on your own.
You taught me to be strong.
Told me to be strong when I needed to be.
When that was all I could do,
Was try to be strong.
Even though I am far,
I won’t be for long.
I love you Momma,
With all of my heart.