American life, American dreams

I remember when I was a boy
on a plane ride to the promised land
the milk and cookies they gave me to eat
while mommy she held onto my hand
to calm my anxiety and help me to sleep
as we arrived at our new destination
  I was home in my room watching television
and I wanted to fly like Superman
so with a towel wrapped around my shoulders
from the dresser to the bed I would land
my brothers were away at school that day
they'd come home talking strange to each other
as if they were from another planet
and I was their adopted brother
  I was always careful when I went out to play
cause the wolfman would chase and grab me by the hand
he would hold me up and pin me to the wall
so terrifying me that I could not stand
and then one Christmas I got what I'd need
a cowboy holster and six shooter was given to me
I would take it to bed for protection
from the things that were bad in the night
but not even that gun could save me
when the toilet was ten miles away
so I pulled out my wienie and peed on the floor
  At the pizza shop to buy a can of coke
I tapped on the counter to a rocking tune
the Four Seasons singing Cherry on the radio
I ordered in my mimicking curly of the stooges face
"Give me a can of coke....and make it snappy"
he mumbled some words and looked very hot
so I grabbed my can lickety- split
running out the door in fear of getting smoked
American life
American dreams

Walking home from school one summer day
I see the lights flashing where I stay
an awful feeling quickly drains my sun
I drop my books and start that frigid run
up the stairs and in the door you wonder how
when grownups tell you the kitchen is off limits now
but you find your way to know what you can't see
a baby born on kitchen table left a bloody mess for me
  One sunny day on my way to school
I find white balloons on an empty lot
I walk swiftly to school thinking I found a jackpot
I hand them out to all of my classmates
with their smiles telling me I did something great
the teacher walks in and is soon red and upset
she takes my balloons and all of the rest
but her words are lost on us children
these here toys
they're made for grownup boys
  Out the bar a woman wildly swings
right behind her
two men catch and hold her by the chin
they bend and push her in a car
she fought knowing that day there would be scars
the car took off to disappear like the wind
American life
American dreams

At the local 5&10 to buy some new clothes
there's a free raffle for a book I was told
I get my ticket and hold it tightly with a wish
I heard my number called and then was switched
a little white boy was screaming with delight
as mommy grabbed my hand and lead me out without a fight
  One hot summers day the Ricans let the water flow
the lawmen come and make the air so cold
a young one lifts his voice and mocks them all
they turn to see who made the call
they chase and beat him to the ground
at 15
never again will we hear his sound
  A rumbles boiling and churning on the block
policemen come to try and make a stop
and one makes a statement loud and clear
with my gun I really have no fear
with a machine gun I can wipe them niggers out
and then there would be no one left to shout
but I think he was saying so in fun
sometimes lawmen get away with some
American life
American dreams

I remember when I was 17
at the DMV to take a written test
immigration comes to make arrest
I pull out my papers and show them what I got
it seems they believed me or maybe it was shock
on their way out they made it bad for some
hey
what's your name
where you from
George and Abe and John and Robert and Dr.King
all lived up to the American dream
and the immigrants
oh how they built this great nation
the work must go on we can't take a vacation
I came here when I was a child
I've felt the scorch of those that want
and seen the deeds of the malevolent some
on the road to learning where I'm from
but I will never bend
this is where I plant my seed
I am American
and America is where I choose to be
American life
American dreams