The Day After (1970)

 

This is his year told in a second

I think I have heard it too many times

When they all tell it, it never has perfect rhymes

Nor do they have at least similar lines

It was their time, their year, now give me an ear

It’s time I piece together for legacies to read it whenever

To me, it’s been a better endeavor

I begin in the middle because their stories have always been like a riddle

Like I had a grandma before grandma

Now she lives on as memories but of a stranger

I feel for her living kids left behind in this world of danger

It wasn’t her choice but God’s plan

But now I think it’s time it gets told

The story will never get old

The fathers of to-be fathers find their father

It was 1970 something

With a family, yes, but they grew up with nothing

All he had was being brothers and a dream to become something

A mother once, but she returned to the soil and turned to nothing

Maybe sweet memories, but we wish we could remember her with something

Now they’ve nothing, a father maybe

Heard he left before his third kid saw the light

We thank him, yes, he’s a soldier

We know this world ain’t fair, life is colder

But I feel his kids had the real fight

Being young, surviving the night

Still confused with your age

You’re young but now a breadwinner

Whilst dad has turned over a new page

In the war, he made history and became winners

Dad’s not around, men, you had to be better swimmers

Big brother chooses sacrifice, he sees life

I bet nothing pained him more than seeing his little brother suffer

It’s like being stabbed with a hot knife

He was young and fragile,

I guess both brothers had it in halves

So you needed a stand, you had to be agile

You got lucky and found dad

But it seems like he was as good as dead

He’s got a new name, a bit of some fame

A bit of luxury, I’m certain meeting you was like two more mouths to be fed

He’s with a new family now, what’s two more kids but new labor, I think you did him a favor

You got food, a roof, now you get to be kids, you can go to school

I hear big brother saw more cash and turned a fool

But to me, I see a kid who turned man, when you see no change, you hustle for a better range

It’s true refusing school was dumb

But when you’re hungry, your senses turn numb

I raise a thumb for the realest brothers

They became fathers, soon to be grandfathers

Our bloodline is full of males

We could try bringing in granddaughters

It’s a shame they ain’t for sale

So we’re going to stick to being many men

Since we know what it means to be raised by real men