“The spell is broken”

by

Vincent Williamson*

And god said….

“Let there be light,”

and there was light/

At god’s word the earth was spoken into existence, the power of life and death are in the words we speak,

So watch your speech, the doctrine you teach, the things you preach, can make the strong grow weak, the youth hard to reach/

The shallow become deep or the deep become shallow/

We win and lose battles when words are given life, they can conceive death/

So think before you use that breath/

Our tongues are weapons and whether we want to impact lives, or make more figures, when we speak, we squeeze that trigger releasing the bullets of life and death into our target, so if you miss the mark/

A fire is sparked/ later consuming everything in it’s path including you.

So don’t always speak on what you do, just do it/

And when hard times come you have the power to get through it/

When you believe it and I mean really believe it, it already exists/

You just have to go get it/

Faith is believing in what you can’t see/

Faith is our source of power, without it we are powerless/ the combination of faith and words, locks/ and unlocks/ our past, present and future.

In this album of life we are the producers, so be productive not reluctant,

Be careful what you say, because words are more than speculation and information, you are speaking spells and incantations that can be good or bad to your final destination/

For too long we’ve told our children they wouldn’t prosper making a living legally/

For too long we’ve told them that they wouldn’t progress/

For too long we’ve told them to settle for less/

For too long we’ve applauded violence/

For too long we’ve been in silence/ bowing to tyrants/

For too long we’ve made it cool to be dumb/

For too long we have not set a positive example for the young/

For too long we’ve been in the dark/

For too long we’ve concealed the light in our hearts/

For too long we’ve not had opportunity/

For too long we’ve pushed aside unity in our community/

For too long we’ve settled our differences with bloodshed/

For too long we’ve misdirected the people we’ve led/

For too long we’ve been careless with the things we’ve said/

For too long we’ve watched our daughters get raped/

For too long we’ve embraced hate/

For too long we’ve watched our sons go to jail/

For far too long we’ve been saying the same spells/

So today let us end the pain and hurt/

Today let us reverse the curse/

Today our children won’t be thugs/

They won’t sell drugs/

This is a righteous incantation/

Today our children will get a good education, they will reach graduation/

Today we won’t be separated by our pigmentation/

Today we accomplish our goals and aspirations/

Today we start from the bottom and make it to the top/

Today we accept the fact that this road to success is long and hard/

There are no shortcuts, there is no slim fast, there is no get rich quick/ if you want it/ you simply have to work for it/

Today we won’t be associated with those who don’t want to see us prosper/

Today we will break this curse/

Today we will be loyal to our friends/

Today we won’t be discriminated for the color of skin/

Today we will stop killing each other/ even if we are not feeling each other/

Today there are no more casualties, or falacies/

Today dr.King’s dream became a reality/ when you take these words and add a beat/ without knowing it we’ve sang ouselves into defeat/

We’ve sang our selves into violence and affliction/

Without knowing we’ve sang ourselves into addiction/ we’ve sang ourselves into doing wrong though we want to do what’s right/

Like man these words go against everything i stand for but the beat is tight/

So we’ve stopped casting spells of destruction

Our wrongs are now right/

Our dark is now light/

Our death is now life/

Today we’ve ended the cycle of abuse, no more are we making an excuse/ no more dishonest gains

Today we end it and if we don’t have it we put in the work, the smarts, the faith, and go get it/

and we don’t stop until we’ve got it/

No longer do we merely survive

Today we thrive/

Today all of our closed doors have been open/

Today the spell is broken…/

*Vincent Williamson is a communication studies major at California State University, Northridge. This original piece was delivered at the university’s 2007 black graduation ceremony held on Sunday May 27. More than 230 african american students graduated from the university this year.