A Slow Death (HBP and Diabetes)

View this video for insight on why I wrote this particular piece.

**Audio is not provided for this piece because of the way it’s written.**

Salt and sugar can’t go on everything
Especially things that can destroy our dreams
At times natural taste must reign supreme
In order to stop this deadly disease

Broken families seem to be our thing
Quick to say “fix your crown queen”
But most of our “queens” don’t even have a “king”
Nothing sweet about that is what I believe

Being in and out of jail brings about prestige
A status symbol that should be a breeze
Blown in the trash never again to be seen
Wise up because we’re currently under siege

Being broke is usually doused with salt
To make it taste better, to make it feel soft
Laugh to keep from crying is what we were taught
But crying is essential, ignoring it…consequential

Living paycheck to paycheck is becoming the norm
But we still make light of it just to conform
To a way of life normalized since born
I mean birth, stop masking the hurt

Obesity is disrupting common decency
“I’m big boned” is what people seem to think
No you’re big call it what it needs to be
So you can get help and you’ll live to see

More life ahead of you free of heart disease
And high blood pressure mixed with diabetes
It’s time for us to draw up a peace treaty
With truth, all these lies no longer needed

Twerk in a restaurant and people start clapping👏🏾
Tell them to stop and they start jaw jacking 🗣🗣
And they wonder why we’re always caught lagging
Behind in reputation, WE own the perpetuation

Our degradation is closely watched by the nation
In anticipation of the long awaited celebration 🍾
Abrasions on our back working on the plantation
Or off the earth for good to harvest the invasion

Their train has already left the station
Our train is stuck, on the way to desperation
What will it take to facilitate the persuasion
For us to do better please inhale all these letters