Awake to Your Dreams

I sat on a bench near some tired, old man who I'd never spoken to or seen
He lit up a pipe and said, "Son, soon this life will be gone and no one will remember me"
His voice kind of cracked as his memories ran back while he talked of the pain he once knew
He said, "choice may be our freedom - but freedom is a choice
That you can't let someone else choose for you"

Son, if you're tired don't you dare rest those weary eyes
Until you can rest knowing you'll wake up free
Hold your head high even in the hardest fights
For it's not worth dreaming if you can't wake up to your dreams

He said, "I used to sit on a bus in the back, holding my head down, afraid to be free
Back then, killing and stealing and being born black were the three largest crimes against society
But one day I realized that it's more about what's deep inside
Than the color of the skin over muscle and bone
The land of the free wasn't that free to me - so I learned to feel free on my own"

Son, if you're tired don't you dare rest those weary eyes

Until you can rest knowing you'll wake up free

Hold your head high even in the hardest fights

For it's not worth dreaming if you can't wake up to your dreams

Son, stand united even when you've been broken down

It often takes takes being broken to find your true strength

Hold fast to your anchors and know your beliefs 

And don't bother dreaming of you're too scared to live what you dream