[NOTE from Hakim ‘Ali: It has been my practice and tradition to write a poem greeting each new year. But 2020 has been unique (to say the least), so I’m writing about the END of 2020, THE OTHER 2020].
IN LIFE THERE’S AN AUTOMATIC MISSION
AND
THERE’S NO SIN IF THERE’S PERMISSION
BUT
SOMETIMES THINGS SEEM TO GO AWRY
SO
YOU WONDER IF YOU’LL MAKE IT OUT ALIVE
THERE’S BLOOD STAINS IN THE STREETS
THERE’S THE STRONGEST PERSON TURNING TOWARDS BEING WEAK
THERE’S NORMALLY OUR VICTORIES, TURNING INTO DEFEATS
AND
WE SEEM TO CHANGE OUR BEAT
TO
TRYING TO MAKE IT OUT ALIVE
MANY PEOPLE IN MY COMMUNITY ARE OF BLACK SKIN
AND
THEY’S HIDING, RUNNING AND SCARED OUT OF THE DANGER WITHIN
AND
EVEN THOUGH THEY CAN SEE THROUGH ALL THE LIES
THE OBJECTIVE IN LIFE IS
TO MAKE IT OUR ALIVE
NOW, THERE’S A NEW ENEMY AT LARGE
AN ENEMY THAT EXIST NOT BECAUSE WE WERE IN CHARGE
AN ENEMY MORE DEADLY THAN ANYHING WE’VE SEEN
AN ENEMY BROUGHT TO US FROM OUTSIDE OUR SHORES
AN ENEMY THAT HAS FORCED US TO STAY INDOORS
COVID 19
COVID 19
COVID 19
I DO HOPE THERE’S HOPE FOR US IN THE END
THIS ENEMY SEEMS TO WANT ALL OUR LIVES TO END
IT’S DIFFERENT FROM MAN-MADE STRIFE
THIS THING IS DETERMINED TO TAKE NOTHING BUT LIFE
BUT
WE’LL CONTINUE TO MAKE IT OUT ALIVE
NORMALLY I’M SPEAKING ABOUT THE FUTURE
AND WHAT CAN WE ACCOMPLISH IN THE NEW YEAR
BUT
NOW I’M WONDERING WHO AMONG US WILL BE HERE
NORMALLY I’M QUESTIONING THE OBJECTIVE OF MEN
NOW
THE WHOLE WORLD SEEMS LIKE A MAXIMUM SECURITY PEN
STILL
WE STRIVE TO MAKE IT OUT ALIVE
[music/sing: make it out alive
My my my
Make it out alive
Oooh oooh, aaaah aaah, ummm ummm]
NOW WE CAN’T FORGET, THE OTHER REGRET
THAT
KILLINGS AND MURDER AND BLOOD STAINS STILL EXIST
THIS VIRUS HASN’T STOPPED THE MADNESS IN THE STREETS/IN OUR MIDST
I SEE BLOOD STAINS ON THE DOOR, ON THE FLOOR, IN THE STREET
YET
NO ONE STEPS UP TO SPEAK THE TRUTH
NO MAN, NO JUSTICE, NO PEACE
STILL EVEN NOW
WE GOTTA MAKE IT OUT ALIVE
WHAT’S A KING TO A GUY, WHO DON’T BELIEVE IN ANYTHING?
OUR HISTORY IS NOT INSPIRING, YET WE SURVIVED
OUR CHALLENGES ARE TREMENDOUS, OUR TRUTHS UNIQUE
WE LOOK AT 2020 FROM A DIFFERENT PERSPECIVE
AS WE MEET AND GREET
THIS NEW YEAR
WE LEAVE 2020 IN A DIFFERENT STATE OF MIND
YET
AS WE LEAVE IT BEHIND, WE’LL STILL STRIVE,
TO
MAKE IT OUT ALIVE!
-Peace, Hakim ‘Ali
