Undaunted

Dedicated to Tupac, Who Do You Believe In

---------------------/Acts Chronicles Chapter 14: Undaunted; The Thoughts of Paul Recently Stoned and Left For Dead


When you believe in something, rather
someone nothing rather
no one can obstruct the conviction engraved deep
within your soul
because you’ve felt the sun rise though unable to see its light
and attempted to put many blankets upon blankets over your ears
trying (sincerely) to muffle the last groans
of the men and women you ordered murdered
the more macabre the massacre, the more mischievous
merriment you derived
though there was something disconcerting about the young men
who died without closing their eyes
(anyone of them could have been just like Timothy)
routine repression
of these memories is the thorn forever embedded
in your flesh that your conscience wont let you pull
and you recall rancor reserved for the man you one day
would call Savior, branding His words heretical
yet the same words made you whole again
commanding the same people who fled your voice;
who without hesitancy
lowered you down safely from imminent physical danger
in a basket, with rope carefully fortified
their voice in hushed tones to escape notice
redemption (your warm reception of each other)
so now you promise to always watch the sunrise
and that never in vain, and the moon and the stars
fortify the belief you have in the sanctity of second chances
the purity of the love of God's healing
streaming from heaven each time it rains
as you hold your arms outstretched and keep your head down
pensive
counting down the moments, the days, the hours
when eternity begins and the burden you feel finally eased
knowing the world forever free from guile
completely devoid of hapless misguided heroes and
innocent victims renowned for inordinate nobility
though we all know that’s a euphemism for passed away too soon.
armed
with the reservoir full of words welling up in your heart
of Gospel, of hope, of emancipation, of love, of peace
and the expiration of death and meaningless wars
promulgated by pathetic pompous autocrats and dictators
stones are just tribulations, merely
and the mobs throwing them temporary
crosses to bear
because after all you've been through no rock or petrified
pebble is jagged enough, no man strong enough
or acrimonious gathering of ignorant heathen men with
pouting lips and cutting stares discouraging enough to fail.
the resoluteness in your soul is uncompromising:
you swear you wont stop breathing
until you’ve finished bringing the healing balm of salvation
to the ends of the world



--------------Acts 14:14-21
And saying: Ye men, why do ye these things? We also are mortals, men like unto you, preaching to you to be converted from these vain things, to the living God, who made the heaven, and the earth, and the sea, and all things that are in them: Who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways. Nevertheless he left not himself without testimony, doing good from heaven, giving rains and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness. And speaking these things, they scarce restrained the people from sacrificing to them. Now there came thither certain Jews from Antioch, and Iconium: and persuading the multitude, and stoning Paul, drew him out of the city, thinking him to be dead. But as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up and entered into the city, and the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe. And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and to Antioch: Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith: and that through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdom of God.

Who Do U Believe (feat. Kadafi (Outlawz)) lyrics------------------------

[Intro: 2Pac]
Let us pray
Heavenly Father, hear a nigga down here
Before I go to sleep
Tell me, who do you believe in?
Who do you believe in?

[Verse One: 2Pac]
I see mothers in black cryin, brothers in packs dyin
Plus everybody's high, too doped up to ask why
Watchin our own downfall, witness the end
It's like we don't believe in God cause we livin in sin
I asked my homie on the block why he strapped, he laughed
Pointed his pistol as the cop car passed and blast
It's just another murder, nobody mourns no more
My tear drops gettin bigger but can't figure what I'm cryin for
Is it the miniature caskets, little babies
Victims of a stray, from drug dealers gone crazy
Maybe it's just the drugs, visions of how the block was
Crack came and it was strange how it rocked us
Perhaps the underlyin fact they hide explain genocide
It's when we ride on our own kind
What is it we all fear, reflections in the mirror
We can't escape fate, the end is gettin nearer

[Chorus 2X: 2Pac]
Who do you believe in?
I put my faith in God, blessed and still breathin
And even though it's hard, that's who I believe in
Before I'm leavin, I'm askin the grievin - who do you believe in?

[Verse Two: 2Pac]
Can't close my eyes cause all I see is terror
I hate the man in the mirror
Cause his reflection makes the pain turn realer
Times of Armageddeon, murder in mass amounts
In this society where only gettin the cash counts
I started out as a beginner
Entered the criminal lifestyle became a sinner
I make my money and vacate, evade prison
Went from the chosen one to outcast, unforgiven
And all the Hennessy and weed can't hide, the pain I feel inside
You know, it's like I'm livin just to die
I fall on my knees and beg for mercy, not knowin if I'm worthy
Livin life thinkin no man can hurt me
So I'm askin -- before I lay me down to sleep
Before you judge me, look at all the shit you did to me, my misery
I rose up from the slums, made it out the flames
In my search for fame will I change? I'm askin

[Chorus]

[Verse Three: Kadafi]
Faith in Allah, believe in me and this plastic
Cause so far I done witnessed to many dead *iggaz in caskets
With they chest plates stretched like elastic
And what's worse I'm on front line, holdin down camp, still mashin
Heard my cousin, one of the old heads from the block
Just came home October of '95 back in Yardsville stuck
with a three to five, if he don't act up, now he realize
If you don't stay wise, then in this game you ****
Talk to my baby girl, give me the word on what she heard
One of the grimmies is snitchin, Diamond a stool pigeon I talked to him
He said he didn't, my man said he did, in fact he's sure
Cause he just came home off of bail

[2Pac] Now tell me

[Chorus]

[Outro: spoken word]
Who do you believe in?
Is it Buddah, Jehovah, or Jah? Or Allah?
Is it Jesus? Is it God? Or is just yourself?
Definitely not to be imposed, being a demon
Because this is the joy of believing!
Men, to believe in yourselves
But for sure, the higher power
Resides only to ride in the heart of the true
From the soul, of the man; for truth never has an alibi
In the poetry, or in it's realm
That's what pulls all words together
Just to understand, that every man, is his OWN man
And only man can satisfy the man
Only the soul of the man, the feelings of the man
The for realness of the man
You can't shake the man when you feel the man you know the man
And you gotta call yourself because you are that man

[2Pac]
Who do you believe in?
I put my faith in God, blessed and still breathin

[singing while 2Pac speaks]
Who do you believe in? Put my faith in God, and
Blessed and still breathin

[singer + (2Pac)]
Even though it's hard (Who do you believe in?)
That's who I believe in (Put my faith in God)
Before I'm leavin (Even though it's hard)
I'm askin the grievin
(Before I'm leavin I'm askin the grievin - who do you believe in?)
Who do you believe in? (Who do you believe in?)
Who do you (Blessed and still breathin)
Oh blessed, oh blessed
(Before I'm leavin I'm askin the grievin - who do you believe in?)

[singer]
Oh who do you
Do you believe in
Hohhhhh-ohhhhh

[2Pac over singer]
Who do you believe in?
I put my faith in God, blessed and still breathin
And even though it's hard, that's who I believe in
Before I'm leavin I'm askin the grievin - who do you believe in?

[singer + (2Pac)]
I'm askin (Who do you believe in?)
I'm askin you (Put my faith in God)
(That's who I believe in)
(Before I'm leavin I'm askin the grievin - who do you believe in?)

[2Pac]
Who do you believe in?
I'm blessed and still breathin
That's who I believe in
Before I'm leavin, I'm askin the grievin
Who do you believe in?
Who do you believe in? [echoes to fade]