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You Es Ade: From the X People

A tattoo on my door, on my wall, on my note book
I overhead my teacher is paid by you too. Does that mean you own me?

I know I should be grateful Mama says a nice boy says ‘thank you’
She doesn’t know, I’m thankful but it helps not to be tattoed on my every piece of skin
I’m over-whelmed, last year they told us we’d eat free porridge at school
 I was so excited and then, I saw it again, your tattoo on the mealie sacks!

Papa says I should work hard in school
So that maybe you will employ me
I will drive a car with your tattoo on its side
He thinks that is so cool
You’ll brand me for life
My desk, my file, my car
You Es Ade: From the X people

I’ll have to make sure I hear them say,
not to forget
The biggest letters on all my tattoos
I receive from you
Should always be YOU ES ADE: From the X people

I shouldn’t forget
No I will not.
No one else matters
No one else helps me
All is nothing It is all you,
You Es Ade: From the X people

Thank you You es Ade I’ll make you proud
when I come to your door
You won’t turn me away like the others will you?
I’ve come to love your flag
After all I am yours,
Forever tattooed,
You Es Ed: From the X people

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