Oatmeal
"Ode To A Great Man"
friends, brothers and sisters, lend me your ears!
I've come to bury our leader in every sentence you hear
don't mistake this as praises for an emperor feared
and listen closely to this ode as we remember his years...
looking back, the origin of his descendants is clear
you'll find his lineage on street corners in stenciled veneer
but his parents were an embarrassment he barely mentioned to his peers
a reputation that plagued him until the end of his career
his mother was a partier, he lacked the center to hear her
because his father was as faceless as a bend in the mirror
this would eventually steer him to a hunger for winning
a forlorn sentient rearing from his humble beginning
victim to his mother's decisions he briefly joined the party scene
but grew from under her prison -- he chose to own his hardened gleam
snug in covered ambition, he felt a void he'd hardly seen
and with a slumbering vision he awoke in a martyr's dream
sick of the heartless schemes that left him bruised and wary
he unearthed the fatherless poverty he ardently used to bury
in this maze of cowards and pawns who forget the truth they carry
he'd gain his power by conquest as a revolutionary
he refused to be denied of his masterful plan
so he grew in leaps and strides with each battle he had
at first he was ignored as a flash in the pan;
just a servant with a sword - another vanishing fad
he knew he had to expand, but he couldn't make one mistake
so he tore the robes of his modesty to prove he was done with fate
his cockiness promoted his odyssey to move from a humble stage
but ironically he gained velocity once he pumped The Breaks
he found a voice heard beyond his immediate community
now he'd preach a lesson to the people he was influencing
it wasn't peace and unity - he spoke of streets paved with tension
and when he released The Message, the whole nation paid attention
anyone who gave a listen wound up talking for hours
bout how he Bumrushed the Show and, Fought the Power
but he was stunningly cunning when he chose to make his mark,
and went through older institutions to show us which Way to Walk
his inflated stock marched him to the edge of his ebb and flow
in a rhythmic food for thought that was casually edible
but with his conquest still in progress he felt the angst of his pedestal
and thus disjointedly appointed several gangstas as generals
he sprang them from Death Row, believing they'd have poise
but the good men he fought for became apostles of Bad Boys
they broke unfathomable silences, flaunting diamond and gold muzzles
until they killed each other off in petty, bitter control struggles
despite their violent ends, he still anointed their heads
but soon came generals bent on self-appointment instead
preaching meaningless messages, pointless to spread
and even his oldest soldiers who were loyal had fled
the voice that had led them spewed the most caustic of sermons
they emulated his achievements but forgot why he earned 'em
with manufactured smiles and open arms they casually courted him
till they bit the hand that fed - and stabbed the back that supported them...
it's perfectly known - a man's evil lives long after he's served on the throne
whereas the good he's done is often left interred in his bones
but it's worthless to moan, or sing songs for his end
cuz most of you believe his killers are honorable men
you were the greatest man I knew, never will I forget you
to those whose ears hold the dagger, I hope you heard him mumble "et tu?"
his nation is a tomb now, a demarcation of his tragedy
but my heart is in the coffin there with Hip-Hop --
and I will lie there until it comes back to me
vs
Mirror Image
by Token
Blurred visions reflect reality, as masquerades slowly fade
my woes evade my mind as I struggle for signs of showing faith
i'm blinded and so afraid to face the problems my life's engraved
explosions of emotions release, as I start throwing mental grenades
flying debris of memories scatter, my mind starts to sharpen apart
and casting shadows of smiles over my issues only darkens my heart
it's only a matter of time before realization breaks down my walls
as I shake & recall all of the abuse and aches, i'm appauled
never been the type to vent, always stayed strong for others
never needed to talk for comfort, no matter how long I suffered
smothered by will, my sadness would serve a tame tune
while a great depression would form inside me until a hurricane grew
filled with anguish and rage, while unsolved mysteries cooked
erasing bad experiences as I rip out pages of my history book
misery's hooked to my thoughts, my disguises are wearing thin
staring into space to escape where i've been until meteors start tearing in
The Edge
I've fallen victim of social withdrawal, snapping at people attackingly
so I grit my teeth with wisdom, but the crowds keep impacting me
black clouds still follow me everywhere I go, negativity trails
I attempt to rewrite my past but fall fast as relativity fails
I've led a riveting tale of a man hiding anxiety
in spite of me creating a persona of happiness inside of me
i've got a hard head made of rock, limiting memories in sections
but God gave me a heart of clay, and my past has left lasting impressions
the pain has finally caught up to me, as I analyze it in depth
my eyes fill with surprise at the size of it's effect
withdrawn from the world, I just want things to be all better
but I've pushed my feelings to the side so my focus is off centered
clinching my eyelids closed as tears form at the corners
I close my umbrella and embrace all of my storms at the borders
As I Contemplate
Flashbacks of my stepfather screaming, as my fears of a beating gathered
which explains why I can't fall asleep until 5 am or change my sleeping pattern
images of my brother handcuffed to drugs, tearing my family apart
now everytime I look at his forearms I have a hard time handling the marks
watching him scam people for money, to feed his addiction
having to hide my wallet and my keys because the fiend's on a mission
my mother never turned her back though, always kept hope in her heart
and needles never bothered me until I saw him overdosed in her arms
God blessed him with a second chance, the judge reviewed the facts
after months of rehab he was straight, but he was due to relapse
switching from narcotics to alcohol, it was an eye for an eye
even though he swears i'm his enemy, I would literally die for the guy
he was my hero since I was little, my big brother nine years older
but the alcohol hinders his ears to things that he might hear sober
I like to hope that things'll shange, but physical altercations break out
as he abuses the loved ones around me it only creates doubt
http://i53.tinypic.com/x3b8yx.png
Eyes swollen from crying, my cheeks wet from the rain
I'm forced to dismiss my reality and get numb to the pain
I have a newborn son to raise, so my sharing is done
but it's tough enduring problems of an adult at the age of twenty one
I keep my stress under the hood, even though it's growing bigger
my state of mind is a gun & the photographs control the trigger
Token Wins 5-1
