free

the air i breathe
comes freely
the steps i take on a one way path
are solely for me
the benefit of all limbs
hands and feet
ten fingers and ten toes
didn’t come so easily
as many suppose
i spent so long waiting
being developed
walking on a one way path
before i got here, i was there
and now that i’m here
there is another place to where
i must travel

the air i breathe
comes
freely
and the steps
i take on a one way path
are
solely for me
and me only
the benefit of ears and a mouth
to hear first
speak, sing, and shout.
give advice
those things, however, came with a price.
i spent so long
waiting
and waiting
and being developed
and although i was predestined i still
waited
walking on a one way path
one way
no turning back
no time for apprehensions
walking with a purpose.
and before i got here, i was there
and now that i’m here
there is another place to where
i must travel

the air i breathe comes freely.
the steps i take on a one way path are solely for me.
people always say the best things in life are free.
but the struggle i endured to get to see me
proves differently
the ears and mouth on my body
are delicately
tuned to be
able to sing
to be able to hear the key
where my voice should be
is truly
a gift from the ruler of the sea
to be able to use harmony
to set others free

the air i breathe comes freely…
the steps i take on a one way path are solely for me.
people always say the best things in life are free.
but the struggle my ancestors endured for liberty
proves differently
the lives given for me
to be able to see
a day where the word free
is used universally
a day where a black man can win presidentially
a day i can see
that in actuality
the choices i make affect my family
and truthfully
the best things in life aren’t free.

the air i breathe is about the only thing
that comes freely.
and while my breathing
is important to me, so is something else
that’s free.
such an awesome sacrifice was made.
someone paid a priceless debt they didn’t owe.
i am forever in debt to Him and
instead of hanging it over my head
he just loves me.
wants nothing from me.
but for me to be me
and to be happy
in Him alone.
salvation is free for all
but that price was paid back on Calvary.

the air he breathed came freely.
those steps he took on a one way path were but only for He.
the benefit of His obedience
was the creation of me
i once was blind but now i see
he carried a cross and shed His own blood
just to become heavenly
and to eternally live in order to see
the day when we would come to fruition
patiently He waited
and knew all along the day and hour we’d each arrive.

the air he breathed came freely.
those steps he took uphill on a one way path were but only for He.
he could’ve stopped and turned around
not seeing the point or the calling upon His life
but he listened with the ears first
and communicated with His Father
about his own apprehensions.

how selfish am i to think that the struggles i deal with daily
could ever amount to what he endured for me?
how rude of me to feel justified in complaining
about anything.
hindsight is always twenty-twenty
and comes in handy at times like these.
when i screw everything up and find myself backed against a wall.
You’re always the first person on my list i seem to call.
and while it’s unfair to you
you continue to answer me.
for free.

(c) ronetta cheryll