The Ballad of a Glad Man

I'm not a living legend

But my life's been legendary

If you knew the place where I was

incubated

You mighta found it pretty scary;

southern eastern most part of Chicago

in 16 storied prisons we called

the "jets",

back then they wasn't so famous for all the

killings you'd see yet-

decent folks still lived there then

their only crime was being poor,

the middle class or rich

in that city ,

was as far as a foreign shore;

So I escaped the city at 18,

And swore to not return no more

Things weren't too bad for black people then

we'd been free. (by then) little o'er a hundred years,

Hell, white folks would still kick yo ass

But by then they'd help dry yo tears

I did and didn't like my family

never felt that I belonged;

Kept waiting for a Doc to show up-

And somehow right his wrong,

But I was the really smart one,

at least by what they thought

they sold themselves a bill of goods,

And. I was the first who bought

Them piinning their hopes on me

Was ever so dim and tragic

The only thing that I became

was an alcoholic,

a prisoner

and an addict

Even in the midst of that, was able

to see the world-

I even gave my heart

a time or two

to some most unlucky girl

In the midst of all my many storms

I was blessed to have a daughter,

The same year I was blessed with belief

When I came to know the LORD

just as I'd thought I'd oughta...

I found. a bit 'a relief,

And even though; no halo's topped my head

by Grace my fears at eased...

that God is my only Judge

And in my ugly stead

It's the precious BLOOD HE sees

You see,

I've had the company of killers

And dignitaries just a'like

The thing that joins us all

is our

Need of.the Precious Christ...

In my life I've played so many roles:

Sailor

Healer

Master and

Slave

Opposed

Accused

Accuser

User

The Used

Poet

Lover

Scholar

And fool

God has been the only constant...

And I'm So Glad

The other day the daughter I mentioned earlier (whose life ive horribly ignored) told me she loved me, which is more precious then gold; she's really my Best Girl...

I'm the Glad Man cause.sometimes GOD gives us what we don't deserve!!!!