Gil Scott-heron On Coming From A Broken Home
I want to make this a special tribute
to a family that contradicts the concepts
heard the rules but wouldn't accept
and women-folk raised me
and i was full grown before i knew
I came from a broken home
sent to live with my grandma down south
when my uncles was leaving
and my grandfather had just left for heaven
they said and as every-ologist would certainly note
i had no strong male figure right?
But lily Scott was absolutely not your mail order room service type cast black grandmother
i was moved in with her; temporarily, just until things were patched,
til this was patched and til that was patched
until i became at 3, 4, 5,6 ,7, 8, 9 and 10
the patch that held lily Scott who held me and like them 4
i become one more and I loved her from the absolute marrow of my bones
and we was holdin on,
i come from a broken home
She had more then the 5 senses
she knew more then books could teach
and raised everyone she touched just a little bit higher
and all around her there was a natural sense
as though she sensed what the stars say what the birds say
what the wind and the clouds say
a sensual soul and self that African sense
and she raised me like she raised 4 of her own
and i was hurt and scared and shocked when lily Scott left suddenly one night
and they sent a limousine from heaven to take her to god, if there is one.
So i knew she had gone; and
i came from a broken home
