It’s very disturbing to think that we no longer care about the love for community
In the summer’s madness and all that it has come to mean and be
The summer madness that continues to besiege the community until this day
Jeopardizing little children at play
Hide and seek in the summer heat
From bullets and violence
Leaves them alone and in silence
Dodge ball is more than a child’s game
When it leaves them mutilated and lame.
These perpetrators upset the balance
With their sinister actions and malice.
The sadness and madness of gunplay
Holds our children at bay
And turns their world upside down
In a horrible way.
Jazzy Jeff sings “Summer, summer, summertime”
But the feeling in the sultry air
Is all but a nightmare
Of tragedy and deep despair.
You can’t erase the pain they feel
Whether imagined or real
We bare the brunt of the brutish treatment
That contributes to a mother’s bereavement.
Many claim that it’s the music game in their heads
Others claim it’s the fathers who leave their mother’s bed
But without a call to action they wind up dead.
In this time which should be fun and carefree
A time for camp and playing outdoors in the community
No one has taken the lead for the hip-hop generation
To resolve the cause and frustration
And they wonder why Jesse won’t sit down
And why brother Sharpton won’t go away
Someone has to listen to what they have to say.
No one is trying to propel the young ones ahead
They simply bow and shake their heads in dread.
Tupac had much to say about the revolution
That would work to find a solution.
But he too was felled by his words
As he lived by the sword.
But we continue to strut and parade
And let the memory of what happened fade.
Yes it’s been a summer or despair
Mixed with intermittent moments
Of tender mercies and few cares
Save for cars and gym shoes in multiple pairs
But we leave broken lives and broken people
In varying states of disrepair.
Hopes are dashed and traded for bags
Of dope or maybe a few rags.
When did summer turn to blight
And macho displays of might?
When did it come to mean
Murder, mayhem and gang fights?
Schoolchildren still relish in the delight
Of bike riding and staying out past the street lights.
But the distressing truth is the summer night
Is rarely filled with rhyme, reason and right.
School is approaching and the doors will be open
And kids will wander back still hoping
For another day to frolic and play
Before the entire summer and the sun have gone away.
Maybe we can find a way
To restore the community in the present day.
Maybe we’ll convince young men with guns
To come to their senses and cast them away.
Maybe will remember all that was good
In our homes and our neighborhoods.
But it’s up to each of us and every one knows
It’s time to get past the the anger and woes
Get active, get involved and help expose
The would-be killers that lurk in the throes.
Return to community
And erect yourselves proud and strong
Put an end to that madness
And bring back the summer
That was our time of gladness.
Peace.
