Freedom Day…
(June 19th, 1865)
Juneteenth
A fusion of June and nineteenth
Honoring the emancipation proclamation pronouncement
Announcing the independence
Of the
African
~ And you laugh, again
…They liberated the physical body plane
But the soul was never enslaved
Could not wait to bathe away
The stench of captivity
Still…we weren’t free
Racism and hatred kept dogging me
The tyranny of jim crow’s bigotry
Became a hindrance to me
And “they said” laws kept us dungeonized
‘Til we cried a cleansing potion
And an ocean of sorrow h.e.a.v.e.d up its shame
Tomorrow isn’t promised
But yesterday’s grief
Won’t let me do a quick release
From ALL the pain I’ve gained
The emancipation proclamation set us free
YES
BUT…NOTHING changed
The emancipation proclamation said nothing ‘bout
Race relations
Or the relative equation
That defines justice
For this BARBARIC NATION
“Nobody knows…the trouble I…”
The proclamation was underrated
We traded BARBS for INSULTS
They claimed it was overstated
We debated inalienable rights
And the freedoms of others
Those with LESS PALE in their skin color
Like Hispanics and bruthaz
Native Americans…and others
‘Til another
Pointed out the error of their ways
JULY 4TH ISN’T MINE
July 4th isn’t mine
July 4th is not my time to shine
The light of justice on an unjust society
Trying, still, to deny equal rights to ME
July 4th is a national holiday
‘Bout the celebration of a nation
Of frustrated aliens
But they call it freedom
A celebration
Yes…July 4th is a holiday
~ I’m sorry…I was raised that way
Celebrating the birth of a nation
Is a joyous occasion
But that’s not the occasion I seek
(‘tis my turn to speak)
Hear me.
They ran up and down crowded streets
Screaming
We’s free (of oppression)
We’s free (of taxation)
We’s free
But they weren’t talking ‘bout us
…Didn’t say nothing ‘bout me
(and the soldiers of injustice kept marching on)
Juneteenth is my celebration
Juneteenth is my celebration
Juneteenth is the celebration
Of the freedom of the African-American nation
Inside that o.t.h.e.r nation
~ Do you understand the equation?
On June 19th, 1865…they set my people free
Acknowledging the worth of y.o.u and m.e
I stand free
Ready to aide my father’s brethren
…to raise my brother’s children
To look beyond the condition of my fallen station
Coz this nation journeys on
Not only the blood of the strong (fuel these engines)
But that of the weak and the afflicted
The cruel and the gifted
The lifted…as well as the fallen
It’s ALL in the position of your viewing
The emancipation proclamation
Declared the African
An emancipated people
~ But f.r.e.e don’t mean e.q.u.a.l
Stolen from our native land
Where “In God ‘we’ stand,”
Meant more than the white man
Unjustly enslaved
And made to brave (their barbarous ways)
Free
Unencumbered by the color of my skin
Not subdued by the hands of man
I tend this land
Not because of “massa’s needs”
But because I please
I’s free
But am I free to be
The man spoke of when He made me
(In His image)
I scrimmage
Not for personal gain
But to sustain the meager position our ancestors cried for
Struggled daily and died for
That ALL her children might know one another
…That the black man and white man
(Both descending from Adam)
Might call each other…brother
A moment of solitude…and gratitude
For the hardships we’ve gone through
Was all the payment they offered you
Couldn’t stand you
That’s why they enslaved you
Now…they crave to be you
Thick lips and wide hips
They adore you
Where they once abhorred you
Still…**** ain’t equal
And the gains they made
On your forefather’s name
And their aim to exploit you
While you’re just trying to be…true
I KNOW
July 4th is a national holiday
But Juneteenth is my day
SPEAK TRUTH
….We’re partying in the streets
Coz it’s a festive occasion
~ May I have this dance?
(June 19th, 1865)
Juneteenth
A fusion of June and nineteenth
Honoring the emancipation proclamation pronouncement
Announcing the independence
Of the
African
~ And you laugh, again
…They liberated the physical body plane
But the soul was never enslaved
Could not wait to bathe away
The stench of captivity
Still…we weren’t free
Racism and hatred kept dogging me
The tyranny of jim crow’s bigotry
Became a hindrance to me
And “they said” laws kept us dungeonized
‘Til we cried a cleansing potion
And an ocean of sorrow h.e.a.v.e.d up its shame
Tomorrow isn’t promised
But yesterday’s grief
Won’t let me do a quick release
From ALL the pain I’ve gained
The emancipation proclamation set us free
YES
BUT…NOTHING changed
The emancipation proclamation said nothing ‘bout
Race relations
Or the relative equation
That defines justice
For this BARBARIC NATION
“Nobody knows…the trouble I…”
The proclamation was underrated
We traded BARBS for INSULTS
They claimed it was overstated
We debated inalienable rights
And the freedoms of others
Those with LESS PALE in their skin color
Like Hispanics and bruthaz
Native Americans…and others
‘Til another
Pointed out the error of their ways
JULY 4TH ISN’T MINE
July 4th isn’t mine
July 4th is not my time to shine
The light of justice on an unjust society
Trying, still, to deny equal rights to ME
July 4th is a national holiday
‘Bout the celebration of a nation
Of frustrated aliens
But they call it freedom
A celebration
Yes…July 4th is a holiday
~ I’m sorry…I was raised that way
Celebrating the birth of a nation
Is a joyous occasion
But that’s not the occasion I seek
(‘tis my turn to speak)
Hear me.
They ran up and down crowded streets
Screaming
We’s free (of oppression)
We’s free (of taxation)
We’s free
But they weren’t talking ‘bout us
…Didn’t say nothing ‘bout me
(and the soldiers of injustice kept marching on)
Juneteenth is my celebration
Juneteenth is my celebration
Juneteenth is the celebration
Of the freedom of the African-American nation
Inside that o.t.h.e.r nation
~ Do you understand the equation?
On June 19th, 1865…they set my people free
Acknowledging the worth of y.o.u and m.e
I stand free
Ready to aide my father’s brethren
…to raise my brother’s children
To look beyond the condition of my fallen station
Coz this nation journeys on
Not only the blood of the strong (fuel these engines)
But that of the weak and the afflicted
The cruel and the gifted
The lifted…as well as the fallen
It’s ALL in the position of your viewing
The emancipation proclamation
Declared the African
An emancipated people
~ But f.r.e.e don’t mean e.q.u.a.l
Stolen from our native land
Where “In God ‘we’ stand,”
Meant more than the white man
Unjustly enslaved
And made to brave (their barbarous ways)
Free
Unencumbered by the color of my skin
Not subdued by the hands of man
I tend this land
Not because of “massa’s needs”
But because I please
I’s free
But am I free to be
The man spoke of when He made me
(In His image)
I scrimmage
Not for personal gain
But to sustain the meager position our ancestors cried for
Struggled daily and died for
That ALL her children might know one another
…That the black man and white man
(Both descending from Adam)
Might call each other…brother
A moment of solitude…and gratitude
For the hardships we’ve gone through
Was all the payment they offered you
Couldn’t stand you
That’s why they enslaved you
Now…they crave to be you
Thick lips and wide hips
They adore you
Where they once abhorred you
Still…**** ain’t equal
And the gains they made
On your forefather’s name
And their aim to exploit you
While you’re just trying to be…true
I KNOW
July 4th is a national holiday
But Juneteenth is my day
SPEAK TRUTH
….We’re partying in the streets
Coz it’s a festive occasion
~ May I have this dance?