She’s always saying speak up child

Don’t you talk anymore?

If it’s your mother now you can talk back from here to Jerusalem

 

But you can’t speak up to those your classmates

Speak your mind

Speak of your roots

Those naps you fear showing

 

Speak your mind

But they’re telling you what you’re speaking isn’t true

 

So change it

 

And you’re changing it and you’re changing it,

And now you’re speaking your mind but,

Are you speaking your mind if they changed your mind and it’s their mind speaking your mind?

You’re speaking and speaking and which mind is right and which is wrong

If I’m speaking my mind am I right still?

They’re telling you you’re wrong and stop speaking your mind and listen to our mind so we can make a better mind,

Together

 

But whose mind is better and they’re telling you you’re crazy and you believe it and you’re thinking goddamn I’m crazy

And I’m speaking my mind but let me speak their mind because they’re not crazy and I’m crazy for speaking my mind and not theirs and if I speak their mind therefore I’m not crazy so I speak their mind BUT

Have I lost my mind?

Where is my mind since I’m not speaking mine but,

 

Have I lost it?

 

I’m speaking and I’m speaking and I don’t know what I’m speaking anymore so I’m copying their mind and pretending its mine and,

 

I’m looking for mine but I know where my mind is but I’ve lost it because they told me to find theirs

I no longer value mine

 

My own mind

My own precious mind

My own crazy mind

My own ‘girl are you out your damn mind’ mind

My 'nappy roots and a broken rat tail comb' mind

My 'laugh at that laugh at this' mind

My 'I don’t care what you think' mind

My 'it’s my opinion' mind

My mind

My African mind

My American mind

My black mind

My white mind

Just my mind

 

All mine.

And,

Articulated so well, I spoke so gracious and I cultured so generously  

Crowded with the flowers of adolescence and the sixteen going on thirty-six mind

 

My mind which I didn’t mind because they said never mind that, forget that, don’t mind that,

 

Mind this mind and here is my mind, my own different cultured mind which I want you to mind because that’s the mind I mind,

But I don’t mind your mind because,

This mind of mine is my right mind and I know I’m in my right mind and I’m gonna let it shine this little mind of mine, let it shine, let it shine so they can see my fine mind from my Father,

My own precious mind

My own crazy mind

My own ‘girl are you out your damn mind’ mind

My 'nappy roots and a broken rat tail comb' mind

My 'laugh at that laugh at this' mind

My 'I don’t care what you think' mind

My 'it’s my opinion' mind

My mind

My African mind

My American mind

My black mind

My white mind

Just my mind

And I wanna,

Keep my mind.