In My Shoes

Put yourself in my shoes and see what I see It’s not easy being me At age 3, a defining me Discovering I’m black, unlike my creator 5 and 6 a quick manipulator Close your eyes and try to imagine The aggany The hatred put before me Hatred so deep, who needs a enemy In My Shoes, take a look Come walk the road I took Age 9 – 10 is where it all began I wonder if that was in the master’s plan To be picked on by others older than you Criticized by the ones you looked up to Put yourself in my shoes and see what I see It’s not easy being me 11 – 12 I’d become me No changing that, the damage was permanently Being smarter, but trying to fit in Hurting myself, my future, playing pretend 14 – 15 now I’m grown And I’d like to be left alone So much has happened, most I don’t understand Respect who and what I am, a Man 16 – 19 lost as a fool with his clothes on backwards Just headed in the wrong direction Having had the hardest of time Fretful of anyone crossing that line Put yourself in my shoes and see what I see It’s not easy being me 20-23 I’ve gained love I’ve lost love, but it’s still plain ole jus me Nothing has changed very much, but I’ve grown emotionally Step into this 9 ½ piece of rubber plastic I put around my toes, and see In my shoes, it’s never easy being me So talk what you know, and testify what you see It has nor will it ever be, easy being me!