We are rising
Going through the tunnels 
Of love and life
It's sometimes dark
But we provide the light

Living with the present
We were gifted
Gifted with the future we envision
Sipping hibiscus tea 
I listen
To my heart tell me
How I can continue to get lifted

Not a stranger 
To my Elder's embraces
I swear I felt knowledge
Spilling and spreading
Through their fingers
I'm envious
Reminding myself that
I too will one day
Be as knowledgeable
And produce pockets of light
I'll make bioluminescence seem simple

I will shine
As we all search for some sort of escape
I will shine
As I let my mind wander
I find It comes to our beautiful future
As I let my third eye wander
I find It comes to our beautiful future

Where we no longer
Need to live under the guise
Of blood being diluted
The well is no longer poisoned
And no one will have reservations on this

A place of peace, harmony & unity
We build our roads out of yellow brick
And also used it on the homes where we lived
​

In our future, 
I see unity
I see unity
I see Hijabs and regalias

I see unity
I see unity
I see Dashikis and kilts

I see unity

How dope would it be
If in the coming years
Our prime minister would be
A native American chief?

Well versed in spoken word
And mural graffiti
Spitting bars
While making art
And doing it all
In carhartts

And all people will be purveyors
Of the lost art
Communicating in notebooks
And spray cans
And tablas
And djembes

And if there's any disagreements
It'll all be solved through breakdance

These are the arts that saved my life
Plucked me 
From the infernos of Hell
And patted me on my back
Until I grew my angel wings

My halo is still coming in
And i know that this positive future
I'm envisioning
​

I'm envisioning
Will only happen with the positive vibes
That we bring
Today

If art saved my life today
Then I know it will continue to do so
In the world of tomorrow

But dreams without action
Will never form or happen
So it's our duty to sow these seeds
Build new pyramids and ziggurats
That will withstand
All of times exams

We are stronger than the trials and tribulations
We were handed
We can lighten our load
If we build with these stones
Rather than carrying them wherever we go

But how can we discuss the future
Without discussing art?
It's these moments of creation
That will help shape us
Into who we become

I try to lead by example
And make sure all of the ink spilled
On these pages
Come from only a place of love

And I will always speak
Modern day griots
I will always speak

I will never sew my mouth shut
For silence is the absence of life
I remind myself to pull myself out of the mud
As I remember to shine light upon myself
As i remember to learn from the sun's tirade
As I remember to always have faith
As I remember that hope is a four letter word
​

It's only when we enact it that it takes its massive shape

I visualize growth
I visualize the vibrant vibes we will all bring
I visualize all of us holding each other down
I visualize our city breathing and breeding new life
I visualize our beautiful future
And the work we will do together to provide it

And I'll remember that the oaks don't grow themselves
But the way they spread their roots is instinctual

That is art
That is our future
Today we are spreading our soil
We are planting our seeds
And giving ourselves room to grow

Iron sharpens iron
One hand washes the other
But both are needed to wash the face
​