purpose

our purpose is to
liberate
educate
encourage
provide
solve
love
heal
live

the revolution has died and
we no longer know what it's like to want
we are satisfied by quick fixes
rapid refunds
microwaves
slim fast
a gun
a grant
a loan
mobile homes
automobiles
new bills
new loans
new stress
no rest
new blunt
new dime
new zest
ya'll know the rest

when we look at that ghost in the mirror
that hallow shell of a person
who is it that we see?
someone we hate soo much that we
fuck without condoms
drink without care
pop pill, snort powder deleting our nose hairs

when we look in the mirror
who is it that we see?
someone that we hate soo much that we
tell our boy his rhymes are wack when in actuality they are really good
tell our girl that she is wasting time with school, she should start stripping with you

who is it that we see?
someone that we hate soo much that we
come to poetry jams hoping to find
something in some poet's rhyme
that will help us to finally define
who we are or
who we should be?

simple muthafucker
think for yaself
learn yaself
know yaself
blow yaself
touch yaself

get off that shyt and get off that shelf
that you allowed them niggahs to place you on
with that ninety-nine cent price tag on your ass
“will fuck for attention” sign around your neck

selling your soul to a jesus that you think you know
when in actuality you don't know shyt
not even what it's like to want
because the revolution has died and we now
drink from same fountains
learn at the same school
attend the same churches
swim in the same pools
riding at the front of the bus
living by the same rules, or so we think

but ask that eighteen year old brutha in ga
who sits in a jail with copies of his college acceptance, football scholarship, and invitation to the university's honor's program letters taped to his wall
ask that brutha
who is that he sees when he looks into his stained mirror
ya'll ain't feeling me

the question is rhetorical
the answers are simple
liberate – your soul
educate – your mind
encourage – your fellow man
provide – for your home
solve – your problems
love - yaself
heal – your wounds
live – your life

and remember this my bruthas and sistahs
angels don't crawl, they fly
and gods and real men aren't afraid to cry
and “black is beautiful” is not just a saying but a fact of life!