I Can

The Reverend Sheriff

The Reverend Sheriff
 
Sheriff “Big Bill”1 Lee and Chief Cecil Rhodes2
Made the law as they rode the roads.
They drag Black men from their beds,
Became legends for busting heads.
Everyone knew what they did was not right.
Black folks were too scared to put up a fight.
The state and nation were set in their ways.
Deep in the “Heart of Dixie”3 were dark days.
 
No black sought office in this part of the state4.
The Democratic Party had an all white slate.
To break the county’s racist political ban,
The NDPA5 was ...

HERstory Happens Every Minute

HERstory Happens Every Minute

"I won’t stand in the shadow of his story.
Mine is illustrious and filled with glory.
I was there when the Tigris began to run.
I shall be there at Armageddon."*
Unlike History that is made every day,
Days lack time for what she does and say.
The world has many people living in it.
HERoines give birth to HERoes by the minute.

Behind every great man is a great woman.
Women rise up and take the witness stand.
Why not behind every great woman is a man?
Chauvinism is an attribute of mankind.
A woman does not lead from behind?
HERoism echoes thru the annals of time.
The world has many people living in it.
Women give birth thousands of times a minute.

The "N" channels do not cover the news once every day, **
Suggesting that news is not made that way.
When their esc...

Black Man's Battle Cry

The late, great Maya Angelou was a Black Woeman.

She did not experience the life of a Black Man.

Maya wrote: " I'm Sick and Tired of Being Sick and Tired.."

I write: "I'm Sick and Tired of Being Tried."

i'm sick & TIRED of being TRIED



Whatever I do is not good enough.

First it's this, then it's That Other Stuff.

I've been on the Witness Stand since Time Began.

My Only Offense is I'm a Black Man.

Martin is Dead, and Christ's been Crucified.

I'm Sick and Tired of Being Tried.



You put me on Trial when the Tigris started to Run.

Ever Since Then, it's been, "I'ma-get-one."

If I don't Scratch when I don't Itch,

You take me Life with...

I Can

I CAN

I Can do what my Mind tells me to.
I Can, so Can you.
I Can streak like a Rocket through the Sky.
I Can plunge to the Earth and die.
I Can run and win any Race,
From Inner Self to Outer Space.
All I want you to understand
Is that my Country and Heritage spell "I Can!"

I Can try, and I Can cry.
I Can lead, and I Can succeed.
I Can trail, and I Can fail.
I Can fight, and I Can Unite.
I Can adopt, and I Can Stop.
I Cannot hide, nor Can Apartheid.
I Can write and incite.
I Can bleed for my Country's Creed.
I Can defend, and I Can pretend.
I Can hate, yet, I Can adjudicate!
I Can give, but I Can also live.
I Can contrive, and oh yeah, "I Can survive!"

I Can do this, and I Can do that.
All I need is a Turn at Bat.
I speak of my Abilities not by Chance,
Nor...