It Wasn't Meant To Be this Way

In the morning
As I awake
I see no sunshine
Just acid rainclouds in the sky
Man is the keeper
Of Mother Earth
But with this gift we choose only
To wreck the universe
Babies crying children dying
While govenments spend our money
Sending rockets to the moon
And when the judgement comes
As I know it will
I believe that it won't be a day to soon

Because it wasn't meant to be this way

We pass people
On the street
Begging for a penny
Just to have somethig to eat
While politicians
Spend their time
Driving round in limosines
And sitting down to wine and dine
Babies crying children dying
What was once their home
Has been reaped of all its wealth
Telling me I should do more
For my society
Look into the mirror
Before you place judgement on me

Because it wasn't meant to be this way

The Last of the West Indians

This one is for my father, currently sunning himself in St Lucia. He taught me everything about being a man, a father and most of all being Black.

Here I stand
What do you see
A man or an ethnic minority
But wait
Our parents helped
To rebuild this country
Came over in the 40s 50s and 60s
Left sunny isles
For the cold North Sea
The rolling Thames
And grey London City
As soon as he landed
My daddy said no way
He knew from the start
That he wouldn't stay
But didn't realise
It would take him so long
Before he could take the flight
That would carry him home

So now we are left to carry it on
The traditions of food and dance and song
Ackee and saltfish
Green banana and yam
'Calypso Calypso'
And the steel pan
You see
The last of the West Indians
Has just said goodbye
With tears in his eyes
He left his offspring behind
And it won't be easy
To maintain the old ways
We were brought up as English
We weren't taught the same
So no matter what your opinion may be
If you're born here you're British
Though it's not plain to see
Because prejudice and racism
Still lives and breathes
So I choose my standards
From what my daddy taught me
And I can't go back
Like the BNP say
This is all that I know
So I'm here to stay

You see
Just like my daddy
I've paved the way
Through the poor education
I faced everyday
Through harassments
And SUSS laws
And being egged on the street
Through the riots and skinheads
Chasing me just to beat
They accused me of diseasing their nation
I remember escaping through Upton Park Station
But I've paid my taxes and I've paid my dues
Walked with pride in my Cecil Gee and snakeskin shoes
My sister wore her pleated skirt
And wrapped her hair
Sharing her pride but still looking smart
Whilst in my Gabicci and Farahs
I soon learnt to kick arse

So I regained what I had once lost
Became re-educated
Became my own boss
Hoping to reclaim
Some of the pride
That my daddy had given me
That they tried to deny
Now the goalposts have shifted
The fugees are coming
New targets of hate
So can I stop running
I'm no longer the threat
The pressure's off me

So why can't I shift this label...
Ethnic Minority

Now it's up to us
To teach the babies
The history and the truth
How it was
How it is
How it should be
How we fought so hard for pride and dignity
Whilst all the time
We lived in a box
With a label saying
'Negroes - Toxic, Caution, Do Not Touch'

Will the next generation care
Think about it soon there won't be
Any pure Black White or Pakistanis
Take a look on the street
Blacks with Chinese
Whites with Asians
Rainbow children
Soon a rainbow nation
It's hard to believe
Dilution could bring peace
So eventually we become the
Ethnic Majority

But for me
Black is beautiful
So I cannot rest
Until all my daddy taught me
Is passed on to the rest
You see
The last of the West Indians
Is no longer here
So it's up to us
To make everything clear
Our children need us
To teach them their history
The legacy now rests with you
And with me
Because despite what you believe
We're all one and the same
West Indian or British
Same blood
Different veins

FB

Some of the things I come across and that people tell me often has me laughing out loud. Some of you may find the following words familiar, although I must stress that it's not about anyone in particular and certainly NOT ME!

Met her on Facebook
Met her on Facebook
Just one look was all it took
My mate said “Nah don’t do that stuff
Giving out info leaves me shook”
Told him “Pete
It’s safe and sound
You control what people see”
He said “Nah it’s alright
Don’t want no one seeing me”

Met her on Facebook
Met her on Facebook
Sent her a message
Entitled “Hi”
“Saw you’re a friend of Jimmy’s girl’s cousin
Looked familiar
But don’t know why
If we’ve never met before
Then I’m hoping you don’t mind
Caught a glimpse of your profile
Should have locked
Should have blocked it
Would you like to be a friend of mine?”

Waited one day
Got no answer
The next night
My inbox says two
Opened up one from my sis
Another for some Mistri do
So played scrabble
Sent some greetings
Sent some smiles and kisses too
Got bored
Went off to watch Heroes
That was the end
Of my day two

Met her on Facebook
Met her on Facebook
Came back from work
Switched the PC on
Grabbed a beer out of the fridge
It slipped out my hand
I spilt the lot
Some time later
Having settled
Showered eaten
Spoken to mum
Logged on to see just what was cooking
Inbox said that I had one
Opened up and there she was
Changed her profile picture too
She said “Hi how you doing
Don’t think that I have met you.
Yes your right I’m Cassie's friend
But who’s Jimmy what’s the deal
No worries I’m here for networking
I’ll be your friend
If that’s how you feel”

Met her on Facebook
Met her on Facebook
We then started nice and slow
After a week of idle banter
I cranked it up
In private though
Facebook’s fun but when your chirpsing
On the down low must be done
She knew people that I knew
This Facebook world
Is a small one

I even found out that she use to
Go to places I used to go
She weren’t single
But she weren’t married
'It’s complicated'
Her status said so

Read her profile
'I like dancing
R&B and soulful house
Reading
Gym
And quiet nights
Films that make me cry inside
My favourite books are Child Called It
Color Purple and I do
Absolutely positively
Love some Maya Angelou'

Met her on Facebook
Met her on Facebook
Changed her profile pic again
Not as nice as the one before
Not as nice as her best friend
So we haven’t talked that much
She did invite me to a rave
Could've gone
Would've gone
If her friend was there
I would’ve misbehaved

Met her on Facebook
Met her on Facebook
We don’t even chat no more
Hid her from my newsfeed now
The quickest way to shut her down
It was fun while it lasted
She changed her status
And that was it
In a relationship
Is what it says
So I just moved on instead

Then found out who she is tapping
Guy called Steve
Old Frankie’s mate
We use to drink down at the Nag’s Head
Me and him and Frank and Nate
So just as well
I wasn’t clever
And got to know her a little better
Still won’t let that deter me
Wonder if her friend is free

The Proudness of Melanin

You could never go where I have been
You could never see what I have seen
The punishment which I have had to face
You could not for one minute smell or taste
The persecution which I still suffer
The true description of which words could not be uttered
Yet I have done no wrong
If not for my shade
My history this way would not have been made
For four hundred years I was used and abused
And even now I find myself still often pursued
My contributions are rarely noted
My crimes alas
Are advertised and bloated
Still I am proud for what my God made me
Black is my colour
And I wear it proudly

Breathe

I see you everytime I breathe
I see you with every breath I take
You’re on my mind all the time
When I sleep and when I wake

You are the life within my soul
You make me who I want to be
You are the force that keeps me strong
You are everything to me

Sometimes you touch me like a breeze
On a hot summer’s day
Sometimes you wrap your arms around me
To keep the cold away
Sometimes you whisper words of passion
That melts my heart like heat would ice
Sometimes you tell me that you love me
And take me to paradise

I believe that we were meant to be
I believe that it was destiny
You have such an effect on me
That I see you everytime I breathe

No matter what I say or do
I know that you’ll be there for me
Just as a book needs words to speak
I need you to breathe

I see you everytime I breathe

Leave a Lasting Impression (On Me)

All of the dreams you share with me
All of the things that you see
Makes me glad to be standing
In your light
And despite all that I've been through
I'm willing to spend some time with you
Just a little bit
Of the rest of my life

You see I've
Been running away for so long
But now I've found someone to keep me strong
So when your nights are cold
And you need someone to hold
You can leave a lasting impression on me

All of your joys and all your tears
Are problems solved and heartaches shared
That's the reason why
I'm standing here today
And letting the world know we two
Share the same points of view
Helps me to see
Only the best in you

And there's no way
To change my mind
Now I have someone to show me
The brighter side of life
So when your nights are cold
And you need someone to hold
You can leave a lasting impression on me

Reasons for the Seasons

For the angels that look over us...

I’ve come across many people
In such a short time
Yet seems so long ago
That I left them behind
We have shared romance, adventure
And so much fun
But as they say in any lifetime
Easy go easy come

People come people go
But memories remain
Of summer days in the park
Getting caught in the rain
Laughing hard until
Ribs ached from the pain
With each moment passed
A memory is gained

Some thoughts are like pictures
And never seem to fade
Others seeped in mist
Seem distant and vague
Suddenly a reminder
Takes you back to that place
Where love lived forever
Upon a friendly face

So now
We raise glasses to those
Who we lose on the way
Knowing that we’ll see them
Again some day
For we learn to comprehend
The master’s plan
That there is always a reason
For the season