the language of black bodies

how he can't
stand he must
kneel, how you
can't stand how
he kneels
when the flag song trills,
your heart covered
by a cold hand
blood stained, forgetting
the language forced
into African bodies

savage! hands and feet
in shackles, get down
in that boat, come
build my nation, savage!
have some jesus
cup your hands and pray
kneel before your savior
you never needed
but will need hereafter

ignorant slave!
3/5's constituted subhuman,
move those feet, work
those hands, pick
that cotton, plant
the seed of this nation, lie down
when i rape you, kneel down
when i whip you, cup
your hands when you pray
to save your ign'nt soul

negro! hang your head
down low, willow trees
gonna swing your sweet
chariot low and lynch
your negro body two feet
off the ground down
to six feet under, where
you'll forever lie unknown,
a grave situation

say, cool cat, play me
some of that boom bap that
ragtime jazz, shake my
blues away, take my
blue balls in your sway hip
swing and sing for me,
dance, blackie, dance!
blow your horn, tap
those keys, scream
trane scream, scrape
that living off
the chitlin circuit

n*gger! sit down
back of the bus, march down
town we'll hose you down, sit in
we'll beat you down, stand up
we'll shoot you down
>oh you thought you was dreaming<
fist up we'll send you down
to penitentiary oblivion

hoodlum gangster thug criminal
drop out rapper baller
suspect suspect suspect!
hands up
down on the ground
out of the car
hands up
hands behind your back
stand up and sing
oh say can't you
kneel down and pray
hands cupped
hands up
stay where you are
salute the flag
hands up
hand over your heart
stand up
sit down
kneel
lie down
face down on the ground
go back to africa
run n*gger run
play that tune
sit down
line up
wait on death row
die slow
die young
run die run
freeze get shot freeze
lie dead on the street
stand up
be grateful