New Generation Slave

Into this world

I came

Filled with fear

Crying all the time

I guess my birth

Left a great scar

On my heart and mind

Now I hand-pick cotton

And struggle to sing

"I am happy and I do what I like"

But my voice breaks

And I start to hate

My singing

And simply everyone

Mama told me

Be good

Work hard

And love Mr. God

Every Sunday

I lie

Trying to realize why

Ain't nothing more to say

Your Honor

Don't look at me like that

The truth is

I am a free man

But I can't enjoy my life

***

I came to a standstill

With lies and hopes inside my head

Always seemed too late to turn

And too soon to understand

No, I don’t have a stomach ache

It's just my face...

I got stuck

I ran aground

I got used to spewing bile

I wonder whether all those years

Hadn't been a waste of time

So how am I doing?

Oh, I CAN complain

Smoke too many cigarettes

But I don't care...