"EYE'S OF A GHETTO CHILD"

Eyes wide open wit' limited sight

Can see da plights that fa a kid ain't right

Da home houses a parent that provides no guidance

Da streets and da hood is surrounded wit' viloence

Grown up choices being made

by the time ya in 4th grade

By da 6th or 7th toting a weapon

And a few of yo mans been slayed

Lifes so ugly that ya wanna vomit

But that's fa kids wit weak stomach'

Ya too young ta know ya callin'

But old enough ta know that loot clams it

Hate wearing shoes wit know name

Or ones ya embrassed ta say

Which is crazy in da Ghetto we all livin' da same way

Shame drives ya down a road lead by a man wit' horns and a pitch fork

At the ends a door and once ya walk thru livin' lifes' a total joy

Of course there's a price

Da ultimate cha life

But it you'll scarifice

Ta escape da mice roach being and dreadin' night cause there's no lights

That's the life of my peers da white floks fear and cringe at cause its foul

That's the life of my peers that I luv ta death cause I too am a Ghetto Child

I hopped in da car wit' shame in 'bout 8th grade so I guess I was 'bout 12

Sick of bread and syrup clothes from K-mart and that house on a street called hell

My grades ain't matter I could read spell and count so I knew which route I'd take

It was far from starit more like a figure 8 and a helluva game ta play

Didnt like da police

Ain't wanna help da sickly

Or defend guys like me

Wanted to cop cook cut weigh dope fa money that's tax free

Move rocks on da block around da clock cranking till da coners hot

Then it's in a house called a spot

doe locked moving it through a slot

Sleep is unheard of ya learn ta cat nap and that'll be at the end of the month

But if ya yay is butter da bloulders blocked

like kiss that spot gon' rock

Afta a month non -stop and ya avoided da cops ya finally come on out

Carrying the stench of a week old corpse but cha pockets can't hold ya knots

Da content hit da mall and blow doh on clothes and shoes

whereas da ambitious call da big man and wait fa him ta come thru

I feel da ambitious cause I too want more than gear

But rather be content than stay stuck in da ghetto doin' nothin' and my eye's shedin tears

When no longer pumpin' rocks and up ta movin' weight

You graduated to da next level and there's even more at stake

Now seen as a lick ta those dat ain't got shit

Da target ta rival crews whose business ya interfere wit'

Jealousy and envy dude you need ta be privy too

And da rats dat got knocked and plan ta get they break off you

Not ta mention da police

Low lifes workin' da streets and precincts

Or what's on da mind of a chick acting giddy afta a drink

Da minds always second guessin'

Years in da streets taught dat lesson

Is it real does she really dig me?

Or is she bait so her mans can hit me

And when a cat wants ta re-up

Is it real or a set-up

And if so is it fa da yay

or part of his deal wit' da D.A.

Gotta ask these questions ta protect self

And effectively play da hand ya dealt

Money's made life much betta and mo' hectic

Receding hair line and grays in da beard reflect it

But thru it all I've matured and no longer wild

And smile

Still dat Ghetto Child

CaNon