Last night, I had a dream and I saw Nana
Sitting on a park bench above the clouds in dismay
I appeared behind and gently reached out for her shoulder
But it all turned to dust as soon as I touched her, and I could feel the decay
Raining down on the world below while Nana simply watched in silence
I asked if there was any hope, and she had no reply
And with the tears down my face, I just wanted a chance to see her, once again
But when she turned around, she had no mouth; no soul; no eyes
It was like there was nothing left inside
And in my desperation, I cut her with a razor
I cut out a mouthpiece; a fragment; a spirit; a window
And as the blood began to pour out, I could finally start to hear her cry out
"You f*cking bastard! Where have you gone?
You left them all alone! You've left us all alone!"
While the bodies keep on rotting in the street
Nana said, "Why?
Why haven't you at least tried to keep the peace?"
Nana said, "Why
And if you die, what will you have done?"
Nana said, "Why?
What's your excuse? What's your excuse?
What's your excuse? What's your excuse?"
Yet, still I struggle when I can't get out of bed
Still, I struggle with the voices in my head
Still, I struggle with American complacency
And the vacancy which comes with an awakened state
Still, I struggle with the lack of engagement
The people around me couldn't care less about my statements
Of rage and sheer paranoia
They write it off like it's just another melodrama
As we then slump ourselves numb
And I can feel Nana looking down upon me
High above the clouds, I can still hear her screaming
Still pleading for US all to become united
But still, I struggle, and remain complacent; silent; misguided
And sometimes I wonder if I could do more
When I can see my community being torn apart by war
The war on gods, drugs, race, sex, love - it's all the same
When there's a body count and an arrest report, don't you dare try to claim
That none of us are affected, because I'm awake now!
This fire inside my soul cannot be extinguished out
By your bullets; your power; or your empty threats
"Our progress is a masquerade," I'll preach until my death
"And never will I sit down or be defeated
Never will I retreat or become unheated
Never will I fail when my presence is needed"
We speak to ourselves as we remain in secret
While the bodies keep on rotting in the street
Nana said, "Why?
If we die, we will have done nothing!"
Nana said, "Why?
Why won't you at least try to keep the peace?"
Nana said, "So
What's our excuse? What's our excuse?
What's your excuse?"
WHAT'S MY EXCUSE?