BLACK BEAUTY

from THE WAY OF RASTA (A HEALING SONG)

People perish
for a lack of knowledge


Beauty and the East
travel light watch your speech
Babylon by Bus
still Mama won't let I cuss
trust broken like bad ideals
the Beast becomes the beautiful
and truth is what's real

this is for I peeps that weep in the streets
and pound the concrete
this is for those who rose out the cracks
petals start shining
learning how to stack hay
and seize the day carpe diem
this is a hymn in church for those
at cyber-confessions man do you see 'em
this is for the Jesus' [Hey-Zeuses] last supper
in prisms convalescent homes
where people die old with no lovers
this is for mothers and brothers
fathers and daughters

Beauty and the East
travel light watch your speech
Babylon by Bus
still Mama won't let I cuss
trust broken like bad ideals
the Beast becomes the beautiful
and truth is what's real

and the sun rising East
where Beauty becomes the Beast
this is for the least of least
no tricks just treats just work no sleep
this is where still waters run deep
this is where Mumia Abu says
Obama I beg your pardon
this is the Ghetto Son and I tuned in
'til what's happening ain't got Rerun
this is for one woman one man
one man one vote
why we mustn't wait and why Black Jesse
owing dead Jacksons ain't no joke

Beauty and the East
travel light watch your speech
Babylon by Bus
still Mama won't let I cuss
trust broken like bad ideals
the Beast becomes the beautiful
and truth is what's real

for Little B locked up for life only thirteen
this is a Mau Mau warrior's dream
that one day people of every nation
and creed will Barack for reggae One Drop
touch taste feel no Hollywood no stages
just broken hearts and inner rages
this is for the lion and lionesses
still locked up in cages

Beauty and the East
travel light watch your speech
Babylon by Bus
still Mama won't let I cuss
trust broken like bad ideals
the Beast becomes the beautiful
and truth is what's real

this is for you sow what you reap
where in broad daylight people creep
the agony of defeat lost and black sheep
heaps of gold in Havalah
they claim it's not in Afrika
yet now it's cool to be Kenyan
check the word for Blessing
then learn a lesson
this is for seven-year-old Emperors
and ladies born Queens
this is for Malcolm X's courage
and Martin Luther's dream
this is Aretha Franklin saying rescue me
and Mahalia Jackson singing roll, Jordan, roll
this is for you if you need to save your soul

I got I Jordans on like Michael
and I roll big spliffs like Peter Tosh
and baby if you catch it when I shoove it
Oh gosh
steppin' razor needs a savior
brown sugar ain't got no behavior
no longer nigger now they need us
so they call us Negus
can you feel Us?
beauty and the beast
the least of least
Beauty and the East
Black Beauty