We came from the cracks; they thought we were no better
Rainy days, no need for umbrellas cause we’re flying over the weather
But we were like no other, came from no country, no mother
Grew from gutters, took form in each other
We’re all brothers and sisters, but we’re still killing each other
In the beginning we had so much hope
But now it seems this culture, everyone’s trying to elope
Drinking, celebrating, sexing, oh that’s the way ya’ cope?
…that’s why we still seeing little girls hanging on ropes
Came from nothing, establish so much, so why are we still hating so much
Sisters in doctor’s suits, brothers in penguin suits, we were together, so what happen to us
Seeing fathers running back to no country bringing back sluts
Tearing families apart, leaving mothers in tears, heart crushed
And you wonder why we hate us so much

It’s been 30 something odd years and sometimes it feels we never left that rice field
That we never swam across that river and had bullets thrown at our will
…and forgot about how our parents left no country and we were all almost killed
Cause in these days we seem too young to ever understand
How they left with so much and started with nothing
How we have so much and give each other nothing
We have too many news coverage of our beaten wives
Too many gangs that consume our children’s’ lives
When we think we’re taking strives to be better…
…look at ourselves; we’re just trying to stop from going backwards

Our back hurts, too much pain came when I hear how much it must take for us to change
Too many young Hmong men are victims to these streets
No more dying in jungles just bodies everywhere sleeping on concrete
Our sisters are too busy hitting the clubs, getting crunk drunk out of their mind
And you only need one night, because not every guy is so nice
We hear her cries, as we tell her that’s it’s not all right, call her names
So who’s to blame when she wants to end it one night?
It’s us…not her cause we made her feel so uptight, that her life wasn’t worth anything
She grew up only thinking that life is only worth with marriage and kids
That education is only as good as long it’s lesser then a man
And we blame her for running away and staying in some foreign land
So what needs to be change…everything…yes, I said everything

Too many kids can’t speak Hmong, but speak English so well
So why are they still asking to put these kids in ESL
Cause they don’t worry about the kids but only themselves
Can’t have too many black heads in one place for awhile
No? Then tell me this, why were we separated while there were others in the same struggle…
…got selected just because we spoke a different language at home
So, now you’re scratching your head and thinking…
Is this the new age segregation?
No…but it’s been happening for years and I’m just letting it be known
If you don’t believe this, then ask my little niece, she speaks perfect English too
But was ask to go into ESL class after her first day of school

Our community is full of lovers and sinners
Some winners but they’re ready to forget about us
Our stories are forgotten, written away in books
Others giving us dirty looks after headlines being misunderstood
Walking along these concrete blocks, screaming at the top of my lungs
…but nothing was ever heard because no one is listening to these words
They brush it off, pretend everything is okay and all of this is just absurd
I tell you what is absurd…

It’s these cries from mothers cooing through funeral homes that drives me crazy
Losing sons, I’m still trying to sing lullabies to carry these young souls on
Having little kids looking up at stars to wish upon
Still too young but they see everything that’s going on
Saw that father who killed his family and hung himself over some lawn
They’re the eyes that loses innocence, that’s the deal that makes no sense
Because while we’re shaking down boogie nights…
…we got kids at home shaking off the boogieman with lights
We’re all in this fight, but too many of us are running away without ever swinging a knife
So close to home, we’re already forgetting what this was all about
It’s these demons we’re still fighting within ourselves…
Ourselves...
At the end we’re only fighting within ourselves…