many have answers
They can pontificate and preach.
They come from all walks of life.
And every side of the street
Whether in the ghetto
or the suburbs
everyone wants to be heard

Everybody has something to say
But many are not listening
because they don’t care
because they have no understanding
because they don’t have
walked in your shoes
sat where they sat
Lived life like the other
Therefore, they are within easy reach.
and not a brother
this is quite common
many are distant
unable to relate
They are hard hearted and rude
Pharasidic and reprobate.

what a terrible thing
Think you know all the answers
it’s amazing how much you learn
After you already know everything
When all is said and done
More is said than done
At that point of discovery
The academic unravels a mystery
such is the time
when the teacher
go back to school
is a time when
The teacher appears the fool
The fool for not understanding
for not relating
for not anticipating
All the ins and outs of the student.
The difficulties of the day.
Is to miss you
The students are shocked
In flimsy logic
being pretended
in the leftovers
being replicated
“Do what I say
and not like me”
this is enough for you
so many say
who teach the masses
However, they themselves
must go back to class
Not necessarily academic classes you see
Because what the instructor needs
is bleeding
feel the bread of the peoples
to hurt inside
Empathize and be understanding
One more time
is so easy
To get into a rut
to tell people what to do
And make you crazy
Shelled by theory
Deceived by dogma
locked in scripts
fossilized
To the extent that humanity
you have dehumanized

Every teacher must feel
Every speaker be real
The only way
This could be
It’s for trouble and trouble.
to come over you
this is separate
Of God’s grand design
to get to you
In an opportune moment
Before you get arrogant
distant and cruel
Before you start thinking
there is no one better than you
The ground at the foot of the cross
is always level
That’s where God does business
with human hearts
when they’re on their knees
Not behind a pulpit
throwing darts
practicing what you preach
still not enough
because just for that
you just become self-righteous
Tribulation Produces Experience
And he’s a teacher like no other
Experience gives birth to hope
As you try to cope
try to continue
Despite the dilemma
Try not to lose your mind
When you’re running out of time
to pay your bills
save your marriage
Take care of the crying baby
in the carriage
Life’s problems are many and real.
However, only by experiencing them ourselves
we feel
So God wouldn’t have us
being alone in a cave
in a monastery
Or a theological tomb

No, much better for us.
Is it to experience life?
with all its complexities
agitation and struggle
pain and death
seasons and years
anger and rage
joy and tears
only then
can we fully understand
Only then
Can we be in the band?
the human procession
marching through life
enduring the pain
Loneliness and darkness at night.
In those moments we feel
that’s what matters to us
related to ourselves
Be fair and just

forgive me my God
For being insensitive and harsh
so calculating and cruel
an educated retard
soften my heart once more
As I sit and watch
people and situations
how i find myself
Being stretched beyond limitations
Expand my ability to feel
To listen, love and be real
to sit with people
And do not give answers hastily.
Or make jokes with arrogance
Until I felt for the first time
And with myself treated
the important question
Do I know what they know?
Have I experienced their bread?
If not then maybe I
I should try to choir
to run through the mouth
And trying to assess the situation
Help me God to be silent
And practice compassion

ironic it is
that we who teach
must be taught again
Taught in a different way
taught to ask questions
and do a self test
As for the condition
from our own hearts
The disposition of our own soul.
before we start
To the police and patrol
To criticize and cajole
Taunt and steer
first we must
Feel and listen sincerely.