Runnin’

by euhal allen

We be runnin’, allus runnin’
’Cause them shadows, they
Gonna get us! Then shadows what
Be what’s left from them days,
Them shadows of pain, sorrow, and
Hearts hurtin’ like no hurt that was ever,
Like bloody whips on our backs,
Like nothing we done deserved,
But, what come upon us anyway.

We be runnin’, allus runnin’,
Never seein’ that we be herded,
And shoved, and pushed, and forced
Into lives that aint never should
Be happenin’, but do. And we
Be blind, ’cause we have trouble seein’
That herder what herds us all, and
Whips us bloody, and breaks our backs,
While he be laughin’, havin’ fun.

We be runnin’, allus runnin’, never seein’
What that master tryin’ to do wit’ us,
Never seein that this pain he give us be
His way of keepin’ us blind, and deaf and
Full of the hate he traffics in, the pain
He glories in, our blood what fills his cup,
And quenches his thirst, wine to him.
Yes, we be runnin’, like our grandpas run,
White, black, red, yellow, no matter, he
Done herded us all in his quest for his wine,
And in his greed for out pain.

We be runnin’, allus runnin’, and we don’t know
How to stop, how to leave the herd, free
Ourselves from this master, this laughing
Maniac what lives on our pain, drinks our blood. So
Be runnin’ in that herd, kickin’ and shovin’, like
The rest of the herd, walkin’ over them what falls,
Cryin’ ’cause they fell, but goin’ on ’cause that herd
Pulls and shoves, and makes us go, leavin’ them
Behind, sayin’, “Goodbye granpa,” and runnin’ on, ’cause
That herder don’t let us stop, don’t let us have
Easy breaths, don’t let us know the meanin’
Of peace. Just herds us and makes us run, keeps
Us runnin’, allus runnin’, runnin’, allus runnin’.

We be runnin’, allus runnin’, and our minds be
Runnin’ too, never still, no thinkin’ time, no time
To see, we be herded, allus be herded, don’t
Matter who we be, that master, he herds us, he
Steals our lives to make us run, to make us bleed, to
Give him wine. This wide old road, his road, done holds
Us all, corrals us, keeps us from the hills and the
Little path leadin’ away, ’cause when we runnin’ we got
No time to see that path. Got no time to edge out from that
Herd, from that master what wants our blood, what wants
Our hate to cook us in, to season our very souls, to make
Us taste like him: make us look like him: make us be like him.

Got to stop runnin’. Got to stop hatin’. Got to leave
The herd. Don’t give him no more wine to drink, don’t
Run over them that falls, get them up, slow the herd,
Learn that hate is buriable and best left under
The ground. Push to the side, find that path what aint
So wide, that hate, and sorrow, and pain don’t know
How to walk on. Find that path what lets us know the
Taste of peace, lets us flavor our souls with peace,
Cause we aint runnin’ no more, and we aint
Hatin’ no more, we aint bein’ herded no more. We
Gots better things to do. We gots to get ready to
Go get our grandpas, and grandmas, and cousins; them
What fell back them, and pick them up, and dust
Them off, and tell them that the herd, and the herder, and hate,
Is done gone, and we can wander in peace
In twos and threes and tens all over this whole world.