A breath of fresh air

A saying that goes without saying
Goes without words indicating
That it is a positive in the life of the person in which it’s permeating
But how different this breath can be

You step off the 747 plane and onto the island of which it’s inhabitants you know nothing of
Fuck do you care you just trying to soak up the sun
Vacation, your breath of fresh air

I wonder how the fuck I’m going to pay my rent this month
Landlord beating down my door
Unemployment rates sore
My son wonder why I never take him to the store
Why the gift flow has slowed
Does daddy not love him no more?
I light up my spliff hoping to mend my soul, it’s torn
Take a breath of fresh air

You lay back on the beaches soaking in the sun
See a cutie wearing little to none
wink your way as she takes her morning run
You smile and take a sip of that pineapple rum
Breath of fresh air

I demean and destroy myself everyday
Not sure how it got here, shit we don’t own no boats no planes
At least with this my happiness is feigned
The only time I’ve seen this much white is when I look at those in power
I pull that powder so deep I can barely see
Through my nose I breath my breath of fresh air

You come back from jet setting
To invest heavy in the oppressed deadly addictions
Fast food, consumerism, and television
Check your accounts and realize that you are set for life
You can retire early and your kids can take their time and find themselves
You done enough dirty to take care of them till they are past thirty
You lean back in your leather chair overlooking the skyline of the city you tear
And take a breath of fresh air

I fight and scrap because that’s the only way I know how
Shit I’ll fight my brother if it means we can move up out this town
Swollen fists, bloody noses, guns, knives are my tools chosen
It’s how I express my intent to live
By any means necessary
My mean is necessary to survive
My cope is so dope no lyric heard, read or spoke could give you this feeling
So I’m leaning back feeling it flow through our veins forgetting all the pain, all the pain,

I breath my last breath of fresh air

– Written from the perspective of Jose Cosme, Jaime “Jimmy” Cosme, and Juan “Lefty” Rivera.

Nuyoricans lost to the system too soon.

RIP