I wear my scars as armor
a product of bars and smoke parlors
tattoos reflect sin of a martyr
daily me and god bartered
on whether or not
I should fold or walk harder
born under Carter, my era was made famous
by the pain Reagan painted
feeling shamed and caged in
the streets were a haven
moving through slums searching for crumbs
a genetic dump my limp said
I was too young to walk with shotgun pumps
Mexican born, I held a crown of thorns
feeling the scorn of not speaking Spanish
I gravitated to hip hop and black kids
they understood and made my pain vanish
being included in the movement
made me feel super human
it gave me protection from having my weakness dissected
words I projected became representation
for the anger and anguish
felt by my neighborhood nation
wishing I could save them all
with peace and salvation