CHAPTERS OF THOUGHTS/ AFTER WATCHING 'A LESSON BEFORE DYING'

INSPIRED BY BRUCE JACKSON'S POEM 'TO LIVE AS MEN'.

I AM A MAN

NOT A HOG

I'M NOT A CAT

RAT- OR DOG

WHITE MAN MURDERED IN HIS STORE

& I GET DEATH FOR

AT THE SCENE OF THE CRIME

& MY CRIME WAS MY SKIN

GOT ME THINKING 'BOUT SCRIPTURES

SAYING I WAS BORN INTO SIN

GRANDPA IS EVERYTHING BLACK BAD

HERE WE GO AGAIN

A WALKING CONTRADICTION

SLAVE LIVING IN THIS SYSTEM

PENNY PITCHIN' & COTTON PICKIN'

IF WE AIN'T BEING JAILED

WE BUSY BEING LYNCHED IN IT

WE'VE BEEN WAITIN IN THE WATER

& AIN'T SEEN GOD SINCE

BEEN LIED TO FOR SO LONG

SO IF I BELIEVE THE LIES

AM I WRONG

PREACHER MAN TELLIN' ME

PREACHER:  GOD GOT YOU SO HOLD ON

NEXT WEEK I'M DYING PREACH

PREACHER:  I KNOW SON BUT STAY STRONG

HOW BOUT WE SWITCH PLACES PREACH

PREACHER:  LOOKS LIKE I'M LATE FOR SERVICE SON

I'M GONE

SO LONG PREACH

MY LESSON BEFORE DYING

REMAIN A MAN IN THE FACE OF THE DEVIL & ADVERSITY

THE TRUTH SHALL DIE WITH ME

BLEED MY HEART IN MY JOURNAL

PRAYING THIS SIDE NEVER FORGET ME

FEELING SICKLY

APPROACHING THE GREEN MILE

I CAN FEEL ANCESTORS WITH ME

PROTECT & CARRY ME

DEATH TO MY OPPRESSORS

SMILE BEFORE THEY BURY ME

AT PEACE WITH SELF

LESSON LEARNED

KEEP YA SELF

LOVE YA SELF

LEARN YA SELF

TEACH YA SELF

NO MAN IS AN ANIMAL

NO ANIMAL IS A MAN

A LESSON BEFORE DYING

SPEAK TRUTH OVER POWER

WHILE ON GOD'S GREEN LAND

I AM AS I ALWAYS WAS

A MAN