Help a Child in Need

Take Back Our Children

© 2010 Syneeda Penland

How do we take back our children?

I ask myself this question

Each time I hear a news story talkin’ bout…

“A young black boy or girl gettin’ shot.”

How do we take back our children?

I ask myself this question

Each time I hear a young black mother

Tellin’ her daughter,

Who’s less than five years old,

“Go head baby gurl, that’s right,

Do it like ya’ moma and

‘Drop it like it’s hot!”

How do we take back our children?

I ask myself this question

Each time I hear a new rap song

Playin’ on the radio, talkin’ bout…

“Clockin’, droppin’ dollars

Or pimpin’ hoes.”

How do we take back our children?

I ask myself this question

Each time I hear a young black woman

Talkin’ ‘bout…

“Gettin’ her hair and her nails done

Before goin’ clubin’  to look for a new man,

To buy her some mo’ tight-fittin’ clothes.”

How do we take back our children?

I ask myself this question

Each time I hear a new statistic

On the news or the internet,

Talkin’ bout…

“Black on black crime,

Or young black children

Growing up without their parents,

Being raised by other family members

Or forced to live in a foster home,

Or in the streets

‘Cause their mom or dad is dead,

Addicted to drugs,

Or in prison - doin’ time.”

How do we take back our children?

We take back our children,

By taking back our communities!