Until Then..

Here I lay
Looking at this bright white paper
wondering what to say
And I lay
Drifting further and further away
As I let my ipod play...

I hear Mike urging me to look at the Man in the Mirror
While James tells me to "Say it loud, I'm black and I'm proud"
and at the same time Diana asks me to reach out and touch somebody's hand
to make this world a better place
if I can!

And I lay
as I let the smooth, motivational sounds of Mike, James, and Diana play.

Before long I realize what they are trying to say

The day when I look in the mirror
see who I really am
be proud and say it loud
Then and only then can I attempt to reach out and touch somebody's hand
You see, it has to start with me
and likewise it has to start you
When we can look at ourselves with enough confidence
and self motivation to say
"its night and I'm still as bright as day"
Then we've realized, too
that that brightness can lead the way

Not only for us but for the brotherhood of humanity
mothers, fathers, children
for yesterday, tomorrow, and today

When my time arrives I will cherish the way I'll truly say
my brightness can lead the way
but for now..
Still..I..Lay...

A Picture Painted

Perfection is a picture
A picture painted
Not a landscape
nor a portrait
but a silhouette
a figure.

A darkness, a baren hole
outlined by expectations
standards, ideals
because, you see, in this society
flaws are rebuked
not embraced
They give character, life
and in a painting that would be the color, detail

And so we paint
we paint our lifeless silhouettes
so that no matter how close you may get you can't find a flaw.
This is the "perfect" person's way of retaining themselves
from heartbreak and thus failure.

Perfection is a picture.
A picture painted