WHIPS AND CHAINS
NEVER COULD STIFFEN THOSE THAT WANTED TO BE TIDE UP
IT WAS THOSE THAT WANTED TO BE FREE
THAT WERE UNABLE TO MOVE
DUE TO THE MISERY AND STRIFE THAT BOUNDED
THEIR FEET TO THE GROUND
THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD SERVED NO PURPOSE
BECAUSE MY PEOPLE WERE TIRED OF BEING UNSEEN
THEY WERE WORRY FROM THE BOTTOM
AND WANTED TO BE KNOWN
CARS WERE OF NO USE
BECAUSE MY ANCESTORS
WERE PENNY LESS
AND ALWAYS LESS THAN A PENNY IN THE MINDS OF WHITE SUPREMACIST
WHICH OF THEM WOULD ENDURE THE PAIN OF THE BUS WHEN WE COULD NEVER GET A DECENT SEAT
TO MANY TIMES MY ANCESTORS HAVE BEEN WALKED ON
TRIPPED OVER
LOOKED THROUGH
AND LIED ON
SOME SOUGHT IT WAS TIME FOR A CHANGE
SO THEY STOPPED PICKING COTTON
AND STARTED PICKING UP THEIR DREARY LIVES
THEY STOPPED PLANTING
THE FIELDS AND STARTED
TO THE PLOW THE FIELDS OF DECENCY
