Opposites

Understand, said the old black man
 that everything works in opposites
 The sun and the moon, left and right
 Hot and cold, black and white
 Understand, said the old black man
 who is the opposite of you
 Understand
 so that you will know what you have to do
 Understand
 that black is true and false is white
 Understand
 that black is right and white is wrong
 Understand
 that white is weak and black is strong
 Understand
 that white is suffocation and black is a deep breath
 Understand
 that black is life and white is death
 Understand
 that blacks will live in glory while whites will die in shame
 Understand
 that blackness is reality and whiteness but a game
 Understand
 that blacks were here first and will be here last
 Understand
 that whitey steals your future and lies about your past
 Understand
 that before we were sold as slaves
 the black man walked in temples of glory
 while the white man crawled in caves
 So understand, young black man
 who is the opposite of you
 Understand
 so that you will know what you have to do
 Understand
 that black is the beginning of white's end
 Understand
 that whiteness is your enemy and blackness is your friend
 Understand
 the height and weight of your mental depth
 Understand
 that you're the original man as quiet as it's kept
 Understand
 that blacks will rise and whites will fall
 Understand
 that white equals nothing and black equate all
 Understand
 that our climate is hot and theirs is cold
 And you are young and I am old
 But all lies die when the truth is told
 So understand, young black man
 who is the opposite of you
 Understand
 so that you will know what you have to do
 Understand
 that black is love and white is hate
 Understand
 why our freedom cannot wait
 Understand
 that white is war and black is peace
 Understand
 that black is beauty and white the beast
 Understand
 that black is happiness and white is sorrow
 Understand that I was a slave yesterday
 But you'll be free tomorrow
 And the second after Before
 The minute after Before
 The hour after Before
 The day after Before
 The week after Before
 The month after Before
 The year after Before
 The decade after Before
 The century after Before
 The eternity after Before
 you understand what it means to be a free black man