Mos Def
"Life in Marvelous Times"

Bright moments...

Bright moments always come back Vivid.

The 5th great was epic citywide test pressure
The pre-crack era!

Mr. Schollmen, what a prick, attitude matches wardrobe, uglier then sin.

This is bed stuy 82'..
9th floor 3 tiny rooms one view.
Buck-town, Roosevelt house
they green grass is green
our green grass is brown.

Shots rang my phone wasn't touchtone
a heavy beef in the street
ET had to flee

grey heavens! good grief!
hungry bellies!
bright gold on they teeth!

The windows on the Ave look like sad eyes
they fix their sharp gaze on you when you pass by
and if you dare to stand, you can see em cry

you can watch em scowl
feel them prowl
wall and study every inch about you
fast math measuring what you amount to

The laughter, the screams!
the numeral, the song of Psalms
the book of dreams!

ends don't meet where the arms can't reach
mean streets
even when its free it ain't cheap.
on going saga, terminal diagnosis,
basic survival requires super heroics.

No space in the budget for a cake
it's when you gotta fly by night to save the day

crash-landings routinely happen
some survive, others never rise from the ashes.

watching asphalt and observing the Sabbath.
creates an ecstatic and there you have it

from teenage love
praying in tongue
strange fruit, batty boots and native drums

from hence I come
so here we go
signs and wonders all along the road

some lies open
some lies close
some stretchers role with no lies at all.
some riders don't know what they riding for

hands on the wheel and their mind is gone
wherever you ride, whatever your name,
this raw cold life is a beautiful thing

And we are alive in amazing times
delicate hearts, diabolical minds

revelations, hatred, love and war.
and more and more and more and more
and more of less than ever before
it's just too much more for your mind to absorb

It's scary like hell, but there's no doubt
we can't be alive in no time but... NOW!!!