“TELL ME AGAIN”
Tell me again why we should forget
I see that you haven’t forgotten Pearl Harbor yet
Tell me again why you say you can’t…
You paid everyone else for their time in the camps
Tell me again why we should ignore
The many times you said “you’re mama’s a whore”
Tell me again why because we fail to see
The reasons you hung all our men from a tree
Tell me again why our history you choked
For chaining us, killing us, suppressing our vote
Tell me again why we should share your terror
Our enemy’s long been who you see in the mirror
Tell me again why you wouldn’t relent
From calling our ancestors niggers and wench
Tell me again why so we’ll understand
And please with a straight face if you think you can
Tell me again why those little girls died
For once tell the truth not another ‘white lie’
Tell me again why now that you live in fear
It’s about time you felt what we felt all those years
Tell me again why because we’re not insane
We know no one’s cornered the market on pain
Tell me again why is it you find?
When you cry your tears they are wet just like mine
Tell me again why, we pray that you tell
Why when we made your heaven you gave us pure hell
Tell me again why what is your excuse
Why you won’t compensate us for all your abuse
Tell me again why because our ancestors need
To hear that you’re sorry for your hate and greed
Tell me again why, why should we forgive
The ones who detest the mere fact that we live
I’ll tell you why if I may be so bold
We have to forgive you to save our own souls.
From the gospel musical “Reaching For Freedom” by Jay Arrington