We are looking for a good brother.
We are looking for a righteous brother.
A real righteous brother.
Not one of those singing white guys who made
loss of love sound so intensely intense that you had to fall
in love every time the record came on.
We are looking for a real righteous brother. An all grown
up, ain't scared of nuthin', and knows it's time to save the
race righteous brother.
A good father/good husband/good lover/good worker/good
warrior/serious revolutionary righteous brother.
A tuck the baby in at night and accept equal responsibility
for child raising and household maintenance chores righteous brother.
A generate a regular paycheck or provide evidence of mutually
agreed upon, full-time alternative service to the race or to
the family, such as playing a saxophone or writing novels,
or providing community defense, or taking primary responsibility
for children's nurturing and education righteous brother.
A read a book and play a tune and dance your slow dance
sweet and low down righteous brother.
A love black women, protect black children and never hit
a woman righteous brother.
A turn the TV off and let's talk instead righteous brother.
A turn the TV off and let's make love instead
righteous brother.
A stay at home 'cause that's where you wanna be righteous brother.
A brother who can listen.
A brother who can teach.
A brother who can change. For the better.
A brother who can move. Toward the center of the earth.
A brother who is not intimidated or confused by the power
and the magic of women.
We are looking for a righteous brother.
What we used to call a good brother.
A brother who loves his people.
A brother who doesn't hit or holler at or shoot or stab or
grab or shove or kick or shake or slap or punch women
or children.
A brother who doesn't call women hoes, bitches, skanks,
...dykes, sluts, ..., etc., etc., etc.
A brother who knows there is no such thing as a rape joke.
A brother who doesn't call sex screwing.
A brother who knows that time and tenderness are more
important than size and speed and that reciprocity is
everything.
A brother who knows that permission must be gained at
every step before proceeding
A brother who doesn't describe the details of an intimate
heterosexual encounter by saying, "Man, I knocked the
bottom out of it." Or: "I f____ed her brains out." Or:
"I drew blood from that bitch."
A brother who says: "I made her feel good. I showed her
how much I love and cherish her."
A brother who says: "I rubbed warm oil on her."
A brother who says: "I kissed every part of her I could kiss."
A brother who says: "I made her feel so safe and happy and
free that she fell asleep in my arms and her heart beat
sounded like the ocean after a storm ..."
We are looking for a real good brother.
We are looking for a brother who will turn the ships around. . .
A brother will go into the crack house and turn the ships around.
A brother who will go to the places where it is open season
on our children and turn the ships around.
A brother who will hear the screams of sisters beaten to
death by the men who say they love them and turn the ships around
A brother who will hear the whimper of our babies born
with AIDS and turn the ships around.
A brother who will see the people sleeping on the street
and turn the ships around.
A brother who will remember how freedom feels and turn
the ships around.
A brother who will gather with the warriors and march
down to the edge of the sea and turn the ships around/turn
the ships around/turn the ships around/and this time, turn
the ships around...

     BY: Pearl Cleage