As a child i was taught to hold in pain,
if a tear should fall wipe it away,
theres no time to mourn over the sorrows of yesterday,
toughen up,
daddy raised soldiers who never give up,
train hard and fight easy,
taught to survive in all conditions,
hustle in all positions,
we kept close the family traditions,
were a plate of collard greens and black eyed peas could heal your soul from the problems of yesterday,
when you didn't know if you could make it through the day,
times have changed,
and now its all a test and game,
analyzing if we can make it through obstacles and maintain,
peace and love you think we would gain,
but instead we are left with an empty plate,
and turn into heartless monsters who walk the streets,
to the beat of a hollow drum,
hollow like the feeling when nothing has come,
money?
they say more money more problems its true,
but without enough money you don't have no food,
which results to empty tummies,
but grandma knew,
she taught her babies hope to make it through,
with sweet slave spirituals she sung while she washed are little baby butts in the sink,
reminding us to think,
voices must be heard,
opinions must be heard,
or the change will never occur,
its a new day do with it as you want in a new way,
cause i refuse to back down,
strong cause thats the only way i know how,
a warrior and my words are my armor,
that help me fight battles to make things right,
its time to take flight,
and leave behind the barriers that keep us confined,
its all in the mind,
it just takes a simple change of thought to make things right.