I member that Charlie Clyde and Miss Rossum's boy
caught Hell for not gettin off da sidewalk
when Mr. Rollins and da Missus walked by
dem boys didn't mean no harm
dey was just..what's dat big word ?
O-BLIV-IOUS 2 dey sourroudins
you see, C.C. and dat boy wasn't but
fo-teen fif-teen years old and they didn't know
just like yo momma did
they left 4 Chi-ca-go when dey was youngins
course, dat was 60 years ago
dif-rent time
they was just like dat boy Emmitt Till
they had become, what's dat big word
AC-CLAIM-ATED
2 the big city and wasn't hip
2 da ways down heya
now, I ain't got nuthin 'gainst white folks
neva have, neva will
but, lemme tell ya sumpthin boy
some folks can only feel special
when they makin ya feel bad about yo-self
you see
back den the whilte folks down heya
needed 2 feel good bout demselves
farmin in hard ya know
and the on-li-en-ist way
dey could feel good back den
was 2 keep we colored folk in our place
a place that they, what's dat big word
DES-IG-NAT-ED
fo us 2 be
C.C. and dat other boy wasn't down heya
long enuf 2 understand dat
hell, dey wasn't but fo-teen or fif-teen years old
(old man pauses,looks away, takes off his glasses and wipes his eyes)
Lord, Lord
it took da sheriff 3 days 2 take dem boys down
town folk jus' let 'em hang up there
so in ta send a message
like we colored folk wasn't experts in, what's dat big word
DIF-FE-REN-TIA-TING
da message of segregation and inclusion
boy, what's dat thang you young folks git when
you do real good in college?
them thangs, you know what I'm sayin
oh yeah
SUMMA-COME-LAWD
MAYBE-COME-LAWD
well, the day they hanged dem boys
I went from believin
SOMEDAY DA LAWD GONNA COME
to MAYBE for colored folk DA LAWD ain't comin a 'tall
stopped goin 2 church, yes I did
not dat it mattered none
(old man laughs)
my Bessie, God rest her Soul
once said I drink so much 'shine dat I be 2 drunk
2 walk in da do' when St.Peter open it
(old man laughs, stifles a yawn)
boy, it's late we finish dis tomorra
where you stayin?
naw, naw 2 late 2 be drivin and you been sippin 'shine
you stayin heya!
come on, you take dat back room
and don't forgit 2 say ya prayers
hear me boy....
2 be continued..part 2 of
AIN'T BUT A OLE MAN