Achieve Greatness. Poem by Timothy Moss

The LIGHTS AREN'T ON,
But these four walls,
Are ILLUMINATED.
LIGHTING my room,
Are my DREAMS -

THOUGHTS -
IMAGINATION -
My CONCENTRATION,
Is ENGULFED by my ASPIRATIONS;
INSPIRATION,
Is best acquired,
Through a bit -
Of PERSPIRATION.
I FALL from the TOP,
Like PRECIPITATION,
The SKY IS the LIMIT,
But I'm BROUGHT DOWN,
By -
The INSTIGATION,
Of this NATION.
I'm BLACK;
So the EXPECTATION,
Is DESECRATION,
Of all my values,
No father,
But jail time RUNS THROUGH MY FAMILY,
Like an HEIRLOOM.
All my days are spent gathered around a TV,
Watching BET,
Or SLINGING ROCKS,
Because no one ever BELIEVED in ME?
That's not the case.
And BEHIND BARS,
Isn't the right SCENE for ME,
Being carried by SIX,
At SIXTEEN,
Isn't the way,
It has to be.
STAND OUT -
Even if your the only man out,
Food stamps? Welfare?
What our race needs now,
Is a hand UP,
Not a hand OUT.
That money should be spent,
On financing your kid's dreams,
Not buying the latest Jordan's,
Or purchasing those Coogi Jeans.
We got a PROBLEM,
If your ‘PROBLEM',
Is a scuff,
On your RETRO 8'S,
And not making sure there's enough FOOD on your kid's PLATE.
And for GOD,
WE CAN'T find a place,
Your kids singing 2 CHAINZ at the table,
When they SHOULD be saying GRACE.
FREE yourself,
From all LIMITATION and SUFFOCATION,
By stigmas in play,
Because WHAT is EMANCIPATION,
If your MIND REMAINS ENSLAVED?
Go forth and conquer,
For your goals,
And your pride,
Because if you roll -
With the tide,
It's not long,
You'll survive.