Spanish Harlem Child

I grew up on the block 110 between Lexington and Park

where Jose's bodega closed at 11:30

but walas lights blinkd red, yellow, green non stop till morning

Where the addicts were a dealers best friend

as long as they were number one pick of where that money was spent

Where the songs of the streets were Hot City nd North Face...

mami y papi danced smooth to their beat, without leaving a foot trace

Those were the days when "that's wassup" was "that's dope"

when Juan could come to the punto nine dollars and fifty cents broke

and Papo next door sold him fifty cents worth of coke
 

 I grew up on the block 110 between Lexington and Park

where a cab base was used as a fronte for the banca...yea los numeros

which was usually run by a lady named blanca

Out front in her beach chair sat doña carmen... who sold sleepy pills para poder pagar cable

not to mention the viejos and their domino games,
kept their hands in their pockets always jiggling change

where on hot summer days you were awakened by abuela

Yelling, "make it to free school lunch, que hoy yo estoy pela"

so you rush to get out nd  she'd stop you and shout

espera un momento neccesito un mandao...

I grew up on 110 between Lexington and Park

where so many moments of my youth were lived in fear, in the dark

constantly fearing that loud, stern, hard knock

the voice of officer torres saying "we know ur in there, come on open up"

Our memories are many, within each other we've left many a mark

from running through your streets to playing inside your parks

school gave me education you gave me street smarts

even though I now look back and think my past was crazy and wild
in my heart I willl always remain

a Spanish Harlem child

Tai Truth