Hands UP
Location
19126
United States
40° 3' 14.6052" N, 75° 8' 23.7984" W
See map: Google Maps
One time for young black men
Two times for the police chief yelling attack men
When they raiding a dope house
Playing games with the guy inside like cat and mouse
But we should have learned by now
Yet we still don’t which got me asking how?
Fool me once shame on you
Fool me twice shame on me
As we yell don’t shoot
I just want to fulfill my destiny
But so many times it’s taken from us
The weight to succeed is heavier than a five ton bus
This isn’t a race rhyme
This is one to stand up against crime
Because justice should truly be for all
Not only when certain neighborhoods call
It’s a struggle to get what we need and deserve
No one in authority cares when we bleed or even try to preserve
My people which were instrumental
In this country’s developmental
Stage
The fact that our lives are worthless breeds rage
And at times we stand but there is no change
Our neighborhoods often serve as a police shooting range
No one listens when we put our hands up
It’s like that isn’t enough
They have to take our life to neutralize the threat
And if we’re not getting shot at we’re neck deep in debt
That’s just how it plays out in America the land of the free
And home of the brave who once hung us on a tree
So I question this country’s true nature
Because this climate got me saying burr
Yea that means it is cold
But yet I pray I die old
So I might see my kids live in a better place
Don’t get me wrong, America is great, just not for my race
It isn’t equal
I think the Civil Rights Movement needs a sequel
I don’t know whether we have worse problems abroad or at home
To be completely honest, the current reality has begun to turn my heart to stone
Because I don’t see hope
The country is on a blizzard happy slope
With no signs of slowing down
It’s us who has to change our mindset from that of a clown
Whose just looking for the next thrill
Smoking weed and poppin a pill
We have to change within ourselves
Only then will our chains be loosed and put on the shelves
For now and evermore
Only God knows whats in store
So I’ll let him decide
By His rules should we abide
As I chase my dreams
I try to gain enough steam
But so often my campaign is deflated
By people I call my friends, who are honestly overrated
So is it really the police that kill us?
Or do we do it to ourselves?
Is it the white men that beat our wives when we fuss?
Its into the dark secrets that I’m trying to delve
Well its not secrets per say
Just honesty that if stated wouldn’t make things go our way
Don’t save us cuz we don’t want it
All we want is money so we can flaunt it
Thats the average black man mindset
And its so predictable that on it I’d place a bet
But it shouldn’t be that way
And I’m running out of things to say
But a lot more needs to be said
I just hope they get out before I’m dead
I just want my voice to be heard
I want to be the cause from which an attempt at change is stirred
To get to the day when to anyone I can freely say hello
Whether black, white, red, or yellow
That is the dream that MLK had
But it seems that the progress on his dream has gone bad
Or was it even started
Too early he departed
We still needed him after he died
Because so often the most common thing that we have done is lied
Honesty seems to be dead
And to keep it real it makes me scared to look ahead
But I’m almost done
This rhyme is serious, it is not meant for fun
I really want to get this out
And if it doesn’t I’m not gonna pout
I’ll just keep on pushing forward
And I’m considering adding a foreword
To this rhyme
Just something to pass the time
But would it really make seconds go by?
Or would it in the right hands cause people to cry?
Because they see where they need to fix things
I sincerely hope that even if its only one that a change this brings
So should I close here?
Or more truth do you need to hear?
I think I’ll keep on going even though I ran out of things to say
Press forward because one day
The change we seek will be brought about
Yes the challenge is stout
But if God is with us the battle can be won
Ok now I’m done
This poem is about:
My country
Our world