i could walk the way across the wire
and tell you I understand
but we both know I really don't, so
i will instead be myself;
there is no greater feat for a human
than to overcome himself
to tell his own kind they are wrong
and not pretend he is good;
the fear of heights is the fear of truth;
to say you cannot look down
but that you will watch while they do,
does not comfort them;
what is right except to be human,
to treat you the same
if you are wrong or if you are right;
the words I choose
will be the ones i speak to a man;
no tears no pity,
only the words that my soul believes,
so you know what I know
that my feet are too small for my shoes,
the ones God gave me;
and how many pairs must I try today
until i can wear yours;
can I instead never be a loud goodbye
and speak only soft hellos
can i instead never pretend to know,
except that i do my friend;
i do even though my dreams do not,
life for them goes on;
the tears that flood my nights are truth;
i know they are only for me
for that is the reality of the oppression
and of the protest;
they know you have too much to lose
until you no longer do,
but will your children understand why
cost is greater than comfort,
that childhood is still a dream away;
but they will soon know
that those who came before them
gave them more than life;
they gave them a cross of deliverance
for heaven is still the same