My home, I know it well. Some of us grew up white, some of us black. Nevertheless, we come from the same place and have the same face. We were placed on the same square and had to prepare to contend with the likely misfortune that the future held. It awaits us, enticing us to take those five, six steps... we desperately try to stay on track, but sometimes we are forced out of line. We routinely find ourselves in tough battles, and there’s nothing we can do except fight... the lighter ones, they’ve traditionally attacked first, giving themselves a slight advantage... but there aren’t grudges held, since, if the table was turned, it would then be on us.
We can never be kings, but we can be champs... if one of us ever gets there, then all of us will win. This is what is important. If you take into account that we have been branded since the beginning, then you will understand how we feel. Sadly, some of us have been dropped - our souls chipped at over time. Most of us live in dark quarters - shielded from danger, but also void of light, and hope. How and where we ever find our flare remains a mystery. We are used, we’re abused, and we're marked. We have all become disheartened to some extent.
It is our destiny - even the great ones - who started out with a lot more - have similar fates. The great ones, they had it easier – all the tools and the best training. Yet, they too will reach their demise. But for us, it's almost guaranteed. And if one of us makes it, it will be a victory for us all. Remember this. But unfortunately, it seldom happens. When it does… so seldom does.
I believe we have got a shot. You see, we have been trained. Not by the best, but by those who possessed enough foresight and dedication to set us straight. My mentors had the vision. Yes. They knew our time would come, and that some day we would have to take the field and prove our worth. I thank them, even if I don't make it to the other side. I owe them since without their help I would not have lasted this long.
I am a weapon. A talentless fool crafted into a formidable force to be reckoned with. But I am not the fastest. My range is limited. My contacts are close to none. I am restricted physically. Mentally, I hurdle past all obstacles... those who sling them are the great ones, and their skills are very good indeed. Their tactics and defenses are top-notch, but their spears of destiny will always seem unreal to me.
There is a chance. I know my rank and file. My back is well guarded. My outlook is clear up until it begins, whereby my field of vision quickly gets obfuscated. Too many things happen, and it’s tough luck since I cannot maneuver that well. However, I know that if I lay my plan out correctly, I can slide from side to side, and eventually to the other side. Even if my route becomes less direct, and more on a diagonal, I can still end up alongside the great ones – it will just take a little longer. But if I see a chance to strike I will. Realize that... I don't get many opportunities to impress the others... sometimes, I see my peers on the other side pass me by. They practice this mystic art that is hard to grasp for those who are new to the game. It seems unethical; they have quick starts and try to swing past their opponents, giving themselves an edge. But my mentors, they taught me how to be wary of such opposition, and also how to en passant.
When I get to the other side, I will have to make a decision. I am not sure what I will become, but surely I will come back changed. The path back will be different. And this is where I want to be. Armed with more capabilities, a new perspective on a new road, I will be in position to decide my own fate. But I can never be king. It's just not in the rulebook. But I could become his left hand man or silent partner. And he will shake my hand and see me as an equal. This is what I envision. Right next to him on the same line, in the same castle, with the same name as when I began.
They will all know who I am. And if they do not figure out why and how this happened, I will tell them. Everyone sets out to go after the best, they are the most vulnerable. But nobody thinks about us, perhaps because nobody fears us. Our salvation lies in the hope that by the time others realize our strength in number, our passion, and our potential, it will be too late - we’ll already be on the opposite side.
I contest my rank, I maintain focus and have line of sight, I trust in my defensive and offensive capabilities, and I know the rules of the game, including how far I have to go, and where it all began. And that is why and where I’m going – back to where it all began.
