This doesn't have to happen to you!
Craziness
I am tired of the craziness
Tired of seeing our children being laid to rest.
It’s time to stop killing one another.
Who cares about a color?
It has nothing to do with our
freedom
Or how far we have come.
Red or blue,
Those colors don’t define you.
Take time to think about the things you doing.
It effects more than you.
I get angry with every new death.
If you keep this up, no one will be left.
No one is safe in the hood,
Because you’re always up to no good.
The path you are taking will win you no accolades.
Any notoriety you feel you have will soon fade.
You may be on top,
Big man on the block,
But there is always someone hiding in the shadows.
That’s the way it goes.
Someone waiting to retaliate.
It’s an unnecessary form of hate.
You may love the gangsta lifestyle,
Doing nothing worthwhile,
Hangin,
All the time bangin,
But correct me if I’m wrong.
Gangsta’s don’t live that long.
How many OG’s do you know that came out alive?
Do you call life without parole being alive?
Truth is my brother, more sooner than later,
You will die
If you never considered this, you are a lie.
You see, your luck can only last so long.
Most of it is already gone.
How long do you think people are going to
Suffer your wrath?
You are on a deadly path
If you're ready to blow your mind,
You may as well walk a field of mines.
Get over with right away.
All I’m saying is, one way or another, you will pay.
I can’t understand why you want to fail?
No one in his right mind wants to go in and out
of jail.
Yet, you continue to do things that will land you
Behind bars.
You ought to be tired of the battle scars.
When will you get enough?
Life wasn’t meant to be that rough.
I want you to be man enough to stand proud;
Away from the crowd
Never being afraid to be all you can be.
Another failure?
No , you don’t have to be
A statistic?
I don’t think so.
You’ve got to know
You control your own destiny.
What others say about you is not your reality.
You don’t have to bang.
It ain’t no thang.
You can change your ways before it’s too late.
The choice is yours to make.
If it’s the gangsta life you crave,
You will end up in an early grave.
Our ancestors died so you would be free.
It’s time you lived like you are free.
It breaks my heart to see you going the wrong way.
I couldn’t just sit back and watch you throw
Your life away.
I’m just tired,
Tired of seeing our children being laid to rest.
Tired,
Tired, of the craziness!
From Living the Dream
copyright 2013, Patricia Newman-Harris