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