Change is Here

Have you seen the news today?

“Teen shot,” “Girl raped,” and the numbers are up on AIDS.

I am sick and tired of being sick and tired of the headlines of my times.

Tired of the Glocks, the 45s, the 9s.

That’s why lil Chris went down,

And we know he aint comin’ back.

Now his 12 year old little brother is on the corner sellin’ crack.

Babies killin’ babies, and havin’ babies with babies.

Yeah, we’re all tired of it, but what have you done lately.

Our little girls are being degraded and demeaned.

I may be wrong, but to me it seems

That even though video vixen is what they “aspire”

A little paternal love is all they desire.

They have no male figures, no fathers to tell them they’re queens,

So they deserve more than a man. They deserve a king.

We’re 12% of the population, but it seems as if we’re arrested for 100% of the crime

“Oh No! It’s the man!” Please don’t give me that line.

There is a man though. This much is true,

But look in the mirror because that man is you.

You, my friend, are the 3 faces of Eve.

You plotting with you against you and you cant see.

Malcolm X, Maya Angelou, and Langston Hughees.

The dynamic destruction of this dynasty is you.

You are responsible for you and all that you do.

Yes, you. All of you,

But I am not exempt. I am you too.

What we’re even more responsible for is what we don’t,

But what I’m more frightful of is what we won’t.

“Am I my brother’s keeper?” Asked Cain after killin him.

I know what you’re saying. Your responsibility isn’t them.

Them? Really? Is that what we’ve been belittled to?

We share the same ancestry, but I’m of no importance to you?

You got yo Ph.D and moved to modern-day suburbia.

Now the people from your old neighborhood have neither seen nor heard from you

No. I’m really not dissin you.

I’m just saying, Don’t you think “They” deserve a break too.

Somebady had an influence on you, and greatly impacted your life.

Shouldn’t you do the same? Doesn’t it seem right?

I know. I know. I’m probably making a lot of people mad

But holding it in, sayin nothing makes me feel bad.

You’re pissed at me. We’re fighting each other. We still have not learned.

God promised us greatness. It is again our turn.

Sraight, curly, or natural hair.

Whether you’re dark-skinned or fair,

Our skin is not our sin.

We are magnificently outstanding in the skin we’re in.

We are one: a unified body.

Divided we are conquered but together we are mighty.

We could all be wondrous if modified slightly.

I am so serious please don’t take this lightly.

Help every single man you see as you go.

As African Americans, it is our job to build as we grow.

It is not if you can get there. It is if you can bring the next man with you.

Our past is immaculate. Our future must be great too.

You have no choice. You have to be marvelous.

The lineage from which you come is more than miraculous.

Shirley Chisolm, Crispus Attucks, Yo mama.

Fredrick Douglas, Barbara Jordan, Michelle and Barack Obama.

We are AMAZING! And nothing less!

I think you should look at the person next to you and tell em “Yeah, we’re blessed.”

Ghandi said we must be the change we want to see.

“In order to change the world, we must first change ourselves,” Notorious B.I.G.

Change begins from within my dear.

Change

Is coming.

No...

Change is here!