"People trapped history andhistory is trapped in them." *

As I stay alivetaking these whippings on my back
My great-great-greatgrandchild releases stress by smoking crack
As a slave theywould brand me on my body, sometimes my feet
Mygreat-great-great grandchild wears Hilfiger and Nikes, hesells
Dope on the streets
My people and me were fightersto the end
My great-great-great grandchild carries a gunand will kill for the latest
Trend
I rather not live onmy knees and just die
My great-great-great grandchild getshassled by the police
But he just cries
As I picktobacco and cotton, making a fortune for my Master
Mygreat-great-great grandson won't benefit from it
Being bornto a crack-addicted mother with no father
They'll call himbastard
Life is hard in these fields, so I sing goodwillsongs
My great-great-great grandchild will sing aboutmurder, suicide
And society
Too bad that he's notwrong
Someday it will end, slavery, I mean
Mygreat-great-great grandchild's mind is shackled
Until weall scream
CENTER THESE NEXT LINES
Shackled
MyLife         isStrained
With TheStruggles                OfPain
My Mind Caught Up Almost FullyDrained
Shackled

* from James Baldwin's "Stranger in theVillage"