Rejoice oh young man in thy youth
For those that seek knowledge and the truth
as do I attest to the living proof

my life was molded on a project roof
many places my feet will roam
But I’m New York to the heart
and as Brooklyn as brownstones

Red eyes that lurk from the dark
of trees sparked in the park
from the lips of soft voices
I walked past, given two choices

Down to the depths of where a million
inhabit the iron dungeons and tunnels
lost innocence not noticed
covered in vile and vomit
from alcohol guzzled in funnels

Yet I rise to the light
A face among the masses
I go against the grain, no one passes
Raise my hands in praise,
my fingers splayed out to the sky
like towers of steel and stone
seeking approval in God’s eye

Joyful noise from a distance,
yet as I draw closer, it brings a private chatter
But everyone is contrasted
because it’s mind over matter

When the sun’s might
draws to moonlight
of the insominiac city with bright nights,
I shade my eyes from the less fortunate’s naked plight

But you could have raised me as a father,
and shared secrets like my brother,
admired you as my sister,
or loved you like my mother

Inside I cry silently, lamenting why you have been forsaken,
but I callously console myself
in the thoughts that my conscience was mistaken

But what you bear, I could never stand
so please allow me to give what I can into your hand

Attacked by my own guilt,
have I paid my wages for the day?
Would I ever stare through life
if things were the other way?

The words you say maybe the price you pay
Yet I continue to feel the music
from the song of the streets,
which vibrates the concrete
and puts rhythm in my feet
enraptured by the sounds,
my love for you is complete

Observing inner city criminals
caught my ears on the subliminal
On the Harlem side of things
where faces get blacker
And speak congruent slang
with superspectacular vernacular

You see I welcome you to a land
where the hustle is fluent
like the hungriest who put their blood, sweat and tears up into it

And that’s what we all share
from the businessman to the dealer
we breathe the same air

Wand we can only respect the fact
they’re getting down for theirs
because they make this world go round

You think they give a damn if you care?
If you don’t like it,
then hop your ass back to Delaware

Yes, you can say this place
is full of pity and gritty
But you can never take
the sparkle from my city!

Copyright 2002
Scott Parker