Welcome to the Ghetto
Good Times, The Jefferson’s and let’s not forget Different Strokes--
Just A few of the scarce outlets for us po folks.
EBT cards, food stamps, and bey bey kids roaming the block,
And that big wooden fork and spoon in the kitchen hanging by the clock.
Welcome to the ghetto, where every month has a holiday on the fifteenth
and the first,
And no one complains about missing a meal, ‘cause things could be a
whole lot worse.
Something like Junebug going too far and overdosing on some crack,
Or the police harassing and arresting you just because you’re black,
Or getting an old fashion beat-down because the neighborhood bully
thinks you’re wack.
Welcome to the Ghetto, a luxury in it’s own way.
Free cable, free food, and juicy gossip all in one day.
Black-eye peas, collard greens, pork chops, and don’t dare forget fried
chicken,
And that greedy relative coming unannounced wondering what y’all fixin’.
Welcome to the ghetto, no place like it in the world,
Where life seems so simple, but love is just as precious as a pearl.
And the good times may be overshadowed by the moments that make us
sad,
But the meaning the ghetto gives to living certainly outweighs all the bad.
Elsie Mae
Somebody slapped the hell out of Elsie Mae!
Almost smacked her into the next day.
I don’t really know what fo’ but this here is what they say…
No one in town likes Elsie Mae.
Screw your man if you got in her way.
Steal your money, make you broke all day.
But Elsie Mae went too far last Tuesday afternoon,
Slept all Monday night with Junebug, knew his wife was coming home
soon.
And Rita, she been a full-figured lady.
Damn near everybody in her family get a check ‘cause all them fools
crazy.
But Rita ‘pose to come back home Wednesday night ‘round seven,
And there go Elsie Mae, nonchalant, laying up with Junebug, Tuesday, at
a quarter till eleven.
Whole neighborhood outside relaxing on that hot summer day,
Then an overwhelming silence struck us all in the strangest way.
Huffin’ and a puffin’ up that dirt road hill,
It was Rita! That’s when the whole neighborhood froze still.
She huffed and walked on.
We whispered, she walked on.
Huffed and puffed to that raggedy brown house.
“Why y’all so damn nosey? Can’t a lady walk home without everybody all
up in her mouth?”
She opened the door with that big, country smile shown,
While we all got ready, knowing Junebug wasn’t alone.
She walked in, three seconds, “Elsie Mae, you stupid little bitch!”
We all burst into laughter as we listened to Rita’s fit.
“Whap!” “Bang” “Boom!” Them be the sounds from that shack.
Next thing we saw was Elsie Mae, thrown through the door, landing on
her back.
“Elsie Mae, you low-down, no good, whore-being, trifling bitch.
If you ever come ‘round here ‘gain, I’s put this foot right where I know now
it’ll fit!”
Elsie Mae, crying, got up and ran away.
Shamed by what happened, she knew there was nothing she could say.
Elsie Mae, Elsie Mae, somebody slapped the hell out of Elsie Mae---
Slapped her so hard, she had nothing else to say.
Waiting on Black Ivory
Sunny days, charcoal nights,
My mind wanders on your whereabouts.
Where is that dark, brown ivory that slowed my speedy world down?
That Dark-colored girl, with them juicy fruit lips,
Nice, slender bones with them “nigga I know ya’ following me hips!”
Black ivory, in my heart you bring that tickle,
Got those old ladies asking, “What in the world is he doing with that
pickle?”
But me, I’m never the one for veggies+ or fruits,
And that produce in my pants is not produce in my pants,
You know damn well I wanna knock them boots!
So Back off old bitties, this mind is salivating,
Sweet love, I’m contemplating,
With all these un-erected flows, I’m incubating.
On you black ivory, I’m waiting.
Yes, black ivory, I am waiting.
The Pimp, the Ho, The Consumer
The pimp, the ho, the consumer.
She better have my money, and it best be tonight.
She come here with another excuse, I’m just not gonna do right.
Gave her so many chances, put her at the top of my squad.
But she couldn’t even go through her first job, like that was so hard.
Why my mother was a ho, and all her sisters led the way,
So she better bring me my money, and she best bring it today!
--The Pimp
The pimp, the ho, the consumer.
I don’t know how I ended up in this world that’s so crazy.
First it was just dancing, now it’s this, just to feed my baby.
But at least I’m getting paid; most girls give it up and later on get played.
And I used protection every time, so I know I don’t have AIDs.
But sometimes, when they’re on top of me, and I’m fading everything out,
I think about my past, the mistakes I’ve made, knowing I should try
another route.
And some nights, I don’t feel much like living,
Like there’s another part of me dying from this thing that I’m giving.
--The Ho
The pimp, the ho, the consumer
I’ll teach her, acting all stingy with the nappy.
Sometimes I think she had that kid just to trap me.
Well, I guess I have nobody to blame but me.
But she don’t have to give it up, I’ll find someone else to satisfy me.
And to hell with it, if I should catch some kind of disease.
You win some, you lose some; I’m just out to be pleased.
--The Consumer
Love without words
Last night I had a dream and you were there--
Light brown eyes, caramel complexion, with your silky black hair.
You were sitting in the park licking on an ice cream cone
By the waterfall, on a bench, sitting all alone.
I waltzed to you--nervous--just like a kid on a first date,
Hoping that you’d stay right there; that I wouldn’t run you away.
You sat there and smiled, sent chill bumps down my spine.
How I wished this wasn’t a dream, and if it were, I wouldn’t wake up this
time.
But then I looked at you, and told you I loved you three times without
moving my lips,
And it would really be something if you got up and blessed me with a kiss.
And it was like you understood every word I uttered through my simple
stare;
That you knew whenever you needed some form of comfort, I would be
the one there.
And then you got up, walked to me, and whispered words into my ear,
Told me that you loved me, grabbed my hands, on your face slid a tear.
The winds blew strong and a loud bell struck a sound that pierced
throughout the lands.
Then I woke up, found myself covered in grass, straw and sand.
Dusted myself off, bowed my head, knowing again, I fell asleep a journey
away from home.
And I took a deep breath, wiped my tears away, and wrapped my arms
around your tombstone.
