Lyrics

Mami Linda

She was just a young thing, unaware of the fact that she was a queen,
pre-teen born and raised up in many ghetto scenes,
but introduced into this game of life without the rules,
lacking defense moves against the evils that men do,
and that’s essential,
her innocence was stolen when they violated her temple,
and life will never again be that simple,
cause no one heard your cries or chose to look in your eyes,
and see the truth in the face of a little girl,
who didn’t deserve to be born into this world,
where crimes commited against her go unpunished,
I know your pain will one day diminish,
but nevertheless, you just bottled it up, and continued on,
hoping to fill that empty space in your heart,
had to be strong,
all through your youth witnessed substance abuse,
accompanied by the physical, the scars on your soul is the proof,
and plus the strength in your spirit and back and the simple fact
that experience hadn’t killed your dreams by age 13


through all the lows and all the highs, you continue to rise,
I see the victory in your eyes,
and that’s your destiny,
never doubt it for a second of your time, mama,
cause you’re the reason why I shine
her eyes give rise, I recognize ties that go beyond the skies,
mama soul,
touching everything
mama flows in the life I bring

Happy 15th birthday to you, august 2nd ’73,
nine months later happy birthday to me,
slightly unexpected, never unwanted,
Gemini, 8 pounds and some ounces,
not to long after that, Papi bounces,
leaving you to fight all alone,
but I suppose that’s better than him being around and y’all fist fighting at home,
cause blows thrown from both sides of y’all
could’ve left bruises in all three of my eyes, but blessed was I,
cause even within all the stress you were going through,
I never felt nothing but love and support from you,
mami linda that’s true,
and when you moved us to the west coast, just you and I to make our lives more livable, the bond between us became indivisible,
incredible times but never had you healed from the pain,
of things that happened before and after I came,
but still that hadn’t killed your dreams,
that’s why you started modeling, baptized into the fast scene by age 19.

I know that it’s been hard for you,
some decisions you made just trying to fill that empty space
only to realize you’re unable to,
at age 22,
the arrival of the princess, blessed,
your second born and now in the image of you,
I remember your change in pace,
the sunshine smile always on your face,
and hold on tight to all those images in my mind like an embrace,
can’t help but wish those days would have stayed,
wish I could have opened my eyes, and not watch you be led astray,
finally I understand why family had to be separated sometimes,
you were working things out in your mind,
still searching for that peace that was taken from you such a long time ago,
but in your heart in felt like yesterday, today and tomorrow,
wish I could erase the sorrow and pain,
and leave you only sweet memories
so you would know that nothing between us ever changed,
never doubt that for a second of your time,
you always have and always will be the reason why I shine, mama.