Lion Heart by Deleicea Greene Nelson

ARTWORK BY WINNIE LEE

Lion Heart
by Deleicea Greene Nelson

Ive seen missionary militia enter my pride lands with guns and bibles

With iron horses and albino Gods

They conquered elephant grave yards

And scarred my soil with dried apologies

I hunt for my Lion king in jungles of misfortune and suffering

Dodging bullets from poachers and dentists

Ive seen slaves drown in denile while trying to escape oppression

Ive seen Europeans laugh like hyenas at the suffering of them

I stood side by side with Adam and Eve

Before sin had a meaning

Ive been the definition of courage since the wiz

Ive got a lion heart

Being a lion doesn't mean ive always sat at the throne

People often forget im african

They look over my mane defying gravity

My roar louder than gunfire

My teeth sharper than mind of Mendela

My paws fit in Africa's palm like a puzzle piece fitting perfectly were it belongs

I was here when Pharaohs domesticated my people

Ive been lying around since Nefertiti graced this land with her milk and honey

i refuse to let my pride down

Im tired of praying for a long lost prince to save us from starvation

Im tired of preying on gazelles

I want white meat

that blue collar meat

that wall street meat

that politician that don't get in trouble for contaminating water type meat

I remember when my ancestors were living free on the Sahara

When we had baskets on our heads and the young on our backs

back when we didn't live in cages or whips on our backs

They claim that they appreciate our existence but fear our excellence

Since when do you put a prized possession in an iron box

When do you put lead bullets in courage and love and hope and life

I can't tell the difference from the police and poachers

It's all fun and games till we rise up and bite back

It's dangerous when our roars are louder than your propaganda

It ain't safe on the streets when you can't keep us in cages

Whats the difference between a lion tamer and slave master

Whats the difference between a lioness and a black women

Tell me.

Why you scared of black panthers?

Why you get scared when we learn how to use our claws and our teeth?

you afraid we may bite the hand the feeds us lies?

You cant keep us in Zoos forever

You cant muzzle a revolution

You cant gun down a movement

Believe or not we just want go home

The least you could do is buy us a ticket

So we return to pride rock