'N'

A black American, sitting at a bar, watching TV, as the Politicians plead to the people for their votes, but their promises mean nothing, as he, now despondent, lives in the real world...

                          ‘N’

    Geneva says you gotta right to live,

    Only five little answers you gotta give

    Your name, address, D.O.B. too,    

    Where you’re coming from ‘N’ where you’re going to.

    The law often stop me ‘N’ quiz me on crime,

    Being non-white, means I’m guilty each time,

    But I‘m just a someone, who works at their best,

    Not to end in the gutter like some of the rest,

    I once had a job ‘N’ I worked full-time,

    While others around they’d turned to crime,

    But I have a family that I love ‘N’ respect

   ‘N’ do what I must to keep them intact 

   ‘N’ it’s hard to move forward if only I could,

   ‘Cause I’m tarred with a label that I’m from the ‘hood.

    I look at my kids, my wife ‘N’ my home,

    We struggle together , but we're not alone   

   ‘N’ some of my neighbours ‘N’ friends that I know,

    Give up on life when there’s nothing to show,

    Those Government suits ‘N’ those of that ilk,

    The beaurocrats ‘N’ shysters ‘N’ those of the silk,

    They proudly dictate the wrongs ‘N’ the rights,

    Legislating it favours the wrongs of the white      

   ‘N’ the police on the street are out of control,

    Shooting black people to add to their toll,

    But I wanna do right ‘N’ won’t settle for less,

   ‘Til the Government starts to sort outs it’s mess.

 

       

  I’m born to live ‘N’ that's not a sin,

  I’ll do my best ‘N’ strive to win

‘N’ I just wanna wake up ‘N’ see the sun

’N’ I don’t wanna wake up ‘N’ face a gun

‘N’ it doesn’t matter what your neighbours say  

‘N’ it doesn’t matter if they think you’re gay

‘N’ it doesn’t matter the colour of your skin,

‘Cause it only matters what lies within, within……

  

 So why do governments ‘N’ all those folk,  

Who deal in arms ‘N’ cash ‘N’ Coke,

Tell the likes of you ‘N’ me, 

That we live in the land of liberty?

To fight for freedom ‘N’ oil of course

‘N’ foreign lands they’re sent to roam

 

‘N’ body bags they’re coming home  

 

‘N’ while we sit beneath the trees

‘N’ look upon those lifeless leaves,

 The things you did ‘N’ in our names, 

 

 Just pawns we were in your power games.

 

  You call to us on election-day,

 To back your party ‘N’ all the way,

 “Our cause is true”, you told us all,

“We’re going to make those B******s crawl.”

  But how were we supposed to know,

  That we were them, those B*****d foe.

  Hiding secrets on your files,

 Fooling people through your smiles,

 

  That “Houses, Jobs ’N’ lower Tax,”

 Were what you’d bring”‘N’ that’s the facts!”

You lied through teeth, kissed a baby’s head,

 How sad you felt for our fallen dead

 ‘N’ all along as we heard you holler,

  

 You lined your pockets with the poor man’s dollar.

 

 

                   

    

  I live each day ‘N’ seek no strife

 ‘N’ care for those that’s in my life

 ‘N’ search for work if none’s around 

 ‘N’ don’t give up when things abound 

 ‘N’ even as your friend’s conspire 

 ‘N’ sells out to the highest buyer

 ‘N’ cast your promises to the wind

 We need the truth, that’s from within, within……

                                   

 

  ‘N’ so I sit ‘N’search my jeans

  ‘N’ in my pockets are all my means,

   A stick of gum ‘N’ a lousy dime,  

   No monthly pay-cheque this lot is mine,

   I search for jobs, but there aren’t many,

  Educated ‘N’ skilled, I can’t find any, 

  My shoes are worn ‘N’ clothes are tired,

  No work to do ‘N’ how I’ve tried

 ‘N’ shopped around for food that’s cheap

 ‘N’ lined up with the jobless heap

 'N’ how you dare to preach to me,  On social welfare ‘N’ democracy,

  You promised all but nothing came,

  Our self �"respects’ replaced with shame

 ‘N’ so my vote you wish to claim,

 ‘N’ count the ‘X’s at your name,

  You lay the blame on those before,

  Who on our flag ‘N’ Bible swore,

 To give us more than bread ‘N’ butter,

 ‘N’ changes promised, never came

  Our empty plates remain the same.

 ‘N’ Moms ‘N’ Dads ‘N’ children too,

 ‘N’ poverty it’s nothing new,    

 ‘N’ hardship laden on our backs,

  Do those in power deserve my ‘X’

 

   ‘N’ so I take my vote in hand,      

   'N’ to the booth with others band,

   ‘N ’look at those among the choice,

   ‘N’ seek the one of honest voice,

   ‘N’ pray the one that I select,

   ‘N’ with the people will elect,

    The one who changes will begin,

    A life for all, that’s from within, within… …

 

Author's Note

Apologies for the line spacing folks.....

Reviews

[BelfastBhoy69]

The 'N' takes the place of "And", "In" and "On", to give it a more cold and gritty feel to it!