I Seen A Man Die

(album: The Diary - 1994)

So what you're gonna do when you get out of here, cat daddy?
I don't know dawg, just tryna live it one day at a time. You know?
I hear you talking, man, live it one day at a time... It ain't nothing but a thing though bro
Yeah I hear you, fool. Well, let me get up outta here, my ride out here waiting for me
Alright, cat, take is easy, baby
Stay up, fool
Peace

He greets his father with his hands out
Rehabilitated slightly, but glad to be the man's child
The world is different since he's seen it last
Out of jail been seven years and he's happy that he's free at last

All he had was his mother's letters
Now he's mobile and he's gotta make a change and make it for the better
But he's black so he's got one strike against him
And he's young plus he came up in the system

But he's smart and he's finally making eighteen
And his goal's to get on top and try to stay clean
So he's calling up his homie who done came up
Living like this now they dealing with the same stuff

And had that attitude that who he was was worth it
And with that fucked-up attitude he killed his first man
Now it's different and he done did dirt
And realized killing men meant coming up but it still hurt

And can't nobody change this
It's nineteen-ninety-foe and we up against the same shit

I never understand why
I could never see a man cry
'Til I seen that man die

Imagine life at it's full peak
Then imagine lying dead in the arms of your enemy
Imagine peace on this earth when there's no grief
Imagine grief on this earth when there's no peace

Everybody's got a different way of ending it
And when your number comes for service then they send it in
Now your time has arrived for your final test
I see the fear in your eyes and hear your final breath

How much longer will it be 'til it's all done?
Total darkness at ease be it all one
I watch him die and when he dies let us celebrate
You took his life, but your memory he'll never take

You'll be headed to another place
And the life you used to live will reflect in your mother's face

I still gotta wonder why
I never seen a man cry
'Til I've seen a man die

I hear you breathing but your heart no longer sounds strong
But you kinda scared of dying so you hold on
And you keep on blacking out and your pulse is low
Stop trying to fight the reaper just relax and let it go

Because there's no way you can fight it though you'll still try
And you can try it 'til you fight it but you'll still die
Your spirit leave your body and your mind's clear
The rigor mortis starts to set, now you outta here

You start your journey into outer space
You see yourself in the light but you're still feeling outta place
So you standing in the tunnel of eternal life
And you see the ones you never learn to love in life

Make the choice let it go but u can back it up
If you ain't at peace with God you need to patch it up
But if you ready close your eyes and we can set it free
Here lies a man not scared to die, may he rest in peace

I still got to wonder why
I never seen a man cry
'Til I seen a man die

[T.V. in the background]
...hope you feel better