Look at my face, battered, BRUISED
U say I mean a lot to YOU?
How can that BE?
It’s hard to SEE
Thru these black eyes of mine……
I cain’t COPE
I need some DOPE
I’m better now since I’ve given up HOPE
I just don’t KNOW
How I PROVOKE
What you do to me……
I crave a PORT
My time is SHORT
Know what I MEAN?
You’re killing ME
Please pass the DOPE
I still cain’t COPE
I’m better now just leave me to CHOKE
Cuz I have no sensation nor inclination to do the right thang
Written & copyrighted by Tone Jaxson
The crowded room filled with family & friends has become overwhelmingly small
I’m surrounded by people who love me yet I feel like I wanna cry
Familiar hands rub my back and whispers tell me everything will be alright
In time of course? Of course
I wanna say thank you for coming but I can’t
My thickened tongue and dry throat keeps my awkward but sincere words bottled up
So I don’t respond, I can’t respond
Happiness feels like grief and home just doesn't feel like HOME
Everyone’s being so supportive but I just wanna be left ALONE
Written & copyrighted by Tone Jaxson
An ivory smile and eyes that GLOWED
His penetrating words reached my SOUL
A prophet, a poet but human all the SAME
So young and burdened with too much GAME
His work was an outlet to relieve the PAIN
The trials of his life overwhelmed his BRAIN
I saw the pain I suffered reflected in his EYES
I heard the words I felt come from his throat and RISE
Blessed with the knowledge that shoulda set us FREE
But the devil intervened so it could not BE
I know what it’s like, a side all bull ****
Not all good or bad causes inner CONFLICT
All these things I say hoping it’s not too LATE
To reach those others who I know can RELATE
And touch their souls like he came and touched MINE
Unlike your demise yo words came right on TIME
We miss u TUPAC
Written & copyrighted by Tone Jaxson
It wasn’t long b4 I noticed that LOOK
A few days clean was all it TOOK
More time passed, got to shakin then SHOOK
And reality hit like a cold left HOOK
I gave you my love and moral SUPPORT
Congratulated you on good effort put FORTH
Gave all of me, my love, my WEALTH
But it wasn’t enuff 2 make you love YO’SELF
Powerless we are, please RECOGNIZE
I wish I could help you, I APOLOGIZE
I watched you all night rubbed yo back when it HURT
But nursing you thru it only made it WORSE
Now it’s time to cut the CORD
U gotta fight yo own battles, borrow my SWORD
I cain’t fight for you, although I AGONIZE
I did it before, I APOLOGIZE
You say you love me, I believe that’s TRUE
But I cain’t give you a boost without going down TOO
I gotta stay up, but I will keep PRAYIN
Pray you’ll come around, stop sliding and PLAYIN
Time’s runnin out, there’s not much LEFT
Gather yo strength play the cards you were DEALT
I wish I could help you, been down this road BEFORE
I did all I could, now I cain’t do no MORE
I APOLOGIZE
Written & copyrighted by Tone Jaxson
When I gazed upon the lavender SKY
The sun was there to get in my EYE
Blinding my sight for a short time
As I stared toward SPACE
My thoughtz began to RACE
Then something flew by catching my eye
It was a Byrd gliding by……
A sight easy to look at, impossible to HOLD
Gliding so smoothly, the gesture so BOLD
It kinda remindz me of my relationships with men…….
Who are easy to look at but impossible to HOLD
Gliding thru life smoothly with gestures so BOLD
Lookin at those Byrdz, a lovely sight INDEED
Similar to men in many wayz though different BREED
I love lookin up at Byrdz & sometimes men INSTEAD
But many men like those Byrdz will crap on yo HEAD
Written & copyrighted by Tone Jaxson
Daddy's underemployed cain't pay all the BILLS
When it gets so hard U see y people STEAL
Trust Me Bruh, I know how ya FEEL
Exhausted from runnin, trouble nippin at ya HEELZ
Brotha slow down, ain't u had ENUFF?
Put that bundle down, this ain't no BLUFF
Now u messed around & got ya new shoes SCUFFED
When they grabbed U & slammed U, into HANDCUFFS
Man itz tuff, yea I'll give u THAT
Sometimes muffed up as a matter of FACT
But U can't let the BS hold u BACK
Cuz sometimes it be just like THAT
Nobody said it would be easy, it wasn't BEFORE
My ancestors’ blood left open a DOOR
But that don't mean we won't struggle TOO
Who was that who said life's hard? Itz TRUE
So gather yo witts, strength & good WILL
We at war with them & ourselves fa REAL
Neva nonchalant cuz itz a big DEAL
Trust me Bruh, I know how U FEEL.
Keep ya head Up
Written & copyrighted by Tone Jaxson