Now,John Henry , was born  in a cabin, deep back in the woods
And he could drive steel railroad spikes, like no other man could
John Henry stood 6' 6', and could drive steel , with either hand
Legend spread his name,throughout the land
He walked up mountains, for exercise,and remained a steel driving man
Until he died.If you see John Henry coming,you best get on back,
Because even a fool,would know,that John Henry is going to pass
On through,laying down some train tracks

We raise our dreams in the light
Not in the past of things, left undone
Or things lost or left behind, dead thoughts and wishes
Are better off,buried in green fields of memory
So now,as age slowly steals my youth,I seek out thoughts
Perhaps,long forgotten,and look for cities,that will embrace my spirit
Paths that will welcome,my presence,pointing the way
To crossroad moments,composed of neither, shadow or light
Time itself,wastes nothing, for only man can do this, in the economy
Of the dawn

I can still smell blood on the deck, of the slave ship
As the ship moves under my feet, watch as the deckhands wash the deck
With vinegar,which makes everyone gasp for air
I am but one of  two , slave children aboard.
Before we set sail,men are separated  from children and women
They make us take our clothes off, and while standing there naked
Our mouths are opened , as we jump up and down, arms pinched,
Before the hot iron of branding , cooks our flesh
But this happens ,only to the chosen ones
Initials of our master,burned on our hips
The first thing  I lost was freedom. the second, was equality.
Each day,of  our existence, we are taught, to fear them
Caucasians of the colonies,born into humanity,and raised to be
Inheritors of society,not beasts of  it, like us
I've learned,that one man's delusion,is another man's strong faith
Male slaves are shackled, and take off between decks
their loud cries,can be heard by us clearly,fro the hold below
The women,are placed in another part,of the ship
Some had only sixteen inches of space to lie on
Which is the reason, the rolling waves of the sea I want to welcome
Me in sweet wet embrace

Time,ran away from me,leaving behind an old lion,of present days
With  a muted roar,and a bladder that must be emptied
More times than i care to count.Yet i rejoice knowing,inside my *****
Are gifts yet to be shared of kings and queens
From my issue,who will be known in the world
Please know,that these words ,will not find me
Slipping into cliche'

When Mr Lincoln made it clear  to America,that we were no longer owned,but free, we gathered our few pieces of clothing, and had no idea
where  to go , or what to do with ourselves. It seems we walked for an
Eternity,sleeping in barns or near riverbeds, on dry ground,twigs or moss
some of us  could read,and others could not write their name with a
dry stick.We slept back to back,for warmth.Long gone were family
-*/members.Having been sold to other plantation owners.When the evil rule  of
slavery was still coiled,around our lives ,like a snake.Now that its gone,what am i to do,
with this new gift of freedom?

Who's my brother, is it the homeless man I see wandering down the street
Or the and his family living right next door to me. Or the weary high
Strung soldier a stone cold ***** with no parade to welcome him home.
From another billion dollar war. Who hears inside his head the dying
Screams of his fallen brothers and just take any more
There are so many people in this fast paced world who just want to be
Left alone. And for this might live with much regret and not even realize
That the next man or woman who comes into your life
Might be a brother yet

America just look at what you've done, getting us into war after war,
That are never really won.I'm weeping these tears now, because one of
Your wars across the sea, took away my only son, his letters of coming
Home soon, are all I have, and smiling face in a picture on the mantle
Piece, make me feel inside so sad, the president is getting ready to tour
The country, and say that we should put more troops in another land
Fully  armed on the ground, when will the bell of peace, ring around the
World with an unbroken sound