A Moment of Silence: 'Raise Up'

We must raise awareness

as well as raise funds,

so mothers and fathers can raise families, raise daughters and raise sons,

And stop racist police from raising their guns.

Dreams occurred, not dreams deferred —

No more raisins in the sun.

Let me see you raise your fist if you'll raise your consciousness

to make this change come —

I'm talkin' 'bout a love so strong even the dead will raise up.

What time is it?

It's time to raise up!

I can feel it in my heart, it's time to raise up.

What time is it?

It's time to wake up!

I can see it in my mind, it's time to wake up.

Are we ready for peace or

ready for war?

We crowned the King of Dreams with a head full of thorns.

A legend is born,

his words are like bread to the poor,

so live each line is like breath to a corpse.

Reversing effects of post mortem rigor mortis,

each verse a metaphor for metamorphosis,

a different motive and intent:

no Forbes Lists celebrity endorsement,

we working for a world in which ghettos don't exist.

Everyone is rich

when our souls glow from the gold within.

Been writin' since I could hold a pen,

notebook was my closest friend,

wrote poems in hopes homelessness and war would end.

I was so young, mind wide open then,

saw it all through a rose-colored lens until broken.

The look in your eyes gives me hope again

Dreams might be born again,

so let me hear the chorus when your voice comes in.

What time is it?

It's time to raise up!

I can feel it in my heart, it's time to raise up.

What time is it?

It's time to wake up!

I can see it in my mind, it's time to wake up.

What I'mma do with 40 acres and a mule?

Give me a spaceship and rocket fuel

so we can start a school on the dark side of the moon

and start a revolution through Hip-Hop and cartoons!

Culture shock it to you like Shaka Zulu until we knock a tooth loose,

with rhymes like Dr. Seuss gave Tupac the juice

mixed with the roots of Soul, Gospel, and Blues

proving the truth, no excuse about removing the noose

Nothing but our shackles and chains to lose.

We'll change the News story to a new story

of a People who flew to new glory!

The more we plant more seeds the more we teach

We're so much more than what the world sees.

What the world needs is world peace:

Abolish for profit prisons and military police.

No disparity with solitary

We sharing the cross we bear right here in the streets,

Carrying the dreams in our hearts —

I can hear it when I speak, when I breathe, it'll be here when I leave,

forever the dream, forever the dream.

What time is it?

It's time to raise up!

I can feel it in my heart, it's time to raise up.

What time is it?

It's time to wake up!

I can see it in my mind, it's time to wake up.

Some raise their hands for the questions,

some raise their hands for the answers,

Who raises concern for the mother whose child was killed while raising their hands up?

Who raises the taxes without raising the wages?

Will we raise our standard of education?

Will we raise our voices, raise the vibration?

If it takes a village to raise a child

what will it take to the raise the nation?

It's time to raise up.

Poet Joe Davis is an nationally touring artist, educator and speaker. "A Moment of Silence" invites members of Minnesota's theatrical, musical, artistic and literary circles to reflect on this troubled summer. It can be found at blackmnvoices.com.