Does a Caged Bird Sing?

A bird will pluck it owns wings

Due to the annoyance of the constant motion

Uncomfortable by its own maturity

The world could recognize the birds beauty

Yet too ignorant to discern self destruction.

Not realizing flying is the only way this bird will survive

Black boy cried another nigga today

saw his brother slain like Kain

Now he is a menace to society

Once believed he could be a momentous inspiration

Conversation changed after names begin to fade

And he found himself shooting free throws with ghost

Childhood friends now phantom

Couldn’t fathom that pain

But in the respect of their name he gone do the same

Traded in his cleats for a heat

Heart filled with malice He got his pallet and begin to paint his city streets red

Pablo Picasso a human carrion right there on the concrete

Leaving the man in blue every outline for them to trace.

Willie Lynch Letter be the blueprint

Now left to hang in their own depression

Kalief Broder

We blame the system

yet dismiss absent fathers

A mother could never teach a man how to be masculine

So she scream profanity

Tell that nigga he better not cry

Teach him how to respect his authority

Black mama really just afraid of raising a black son

The same fear my ancestors lived in.

Massa’ just got a badge now

Call himself president

Does a caged bird sing?

A melancholy melody

Songs full of sorrow

To be unjust and naive hum the perfect harmony

Percussion played by the privileged

Black youth

Obtuse to truth

So they dance to the beat

Knobbing their heads to their own dishonor.

Life expectancy

He won’t make it pass twenty five

I give em eighteen

Entity eliminated

We can count on his brother

Or his oppresser

Yet the world still expects man to have hope

Still stand while they place hand across chest and sing about a country that has no regard of his existence

Shackles moved from feet to mind

Physiological locks

Hummingbirds hunted

These volchers want to silence our hymn

Him

I

Can’t

Breathe.