Perseverance

So long as we're made to think of death as a bad thing, we can be ruled In the battle of good and evil the war is over Before the soldiers even deployed leavin' them boys Beaten, destroyed I'm pleased to enjoy stickin' my head inside The devil's mouth and right there is where I'll settle down So shoot me - you can't harm me with slugs I'm a soldier for peace in the army of love - my grave already dug The slain Lamb who remains standin' Though I may die a thousand deaths, I ain't panickin' Standin' in on the front lines ready to die I can feel the Death stares of enemy spies if I return healthy, alive Then I failed in my mission - rather be dead than Stale and indifferent I won't worry what gets me by To die at twenty five and be buried at sixty five I'll offer a hundred otherwise let my mother cry tell my Daughters I love 'em let wifey know they slaughtered her husband I won't bother with nothin' 'less I'm a martyr for somethin' (Victory) Through the blood, through the sweat, through the tears I know through it all that I'ma persevere (Triumph) Through the pain, through the fights, through the fear I know through it all that I'ma persevere (Overcome) Through the days, through the months, through the years I know through it all that I'ma persevere (Conquer) Through the blood, through the sweat, through the tears I know for this glory my suffering don't compare Put me in the mortuary prepare my corpse to bury I'll forfeit everything to overcome the ordinary I'm better in pain shackled by these fetters and chains Anything left to say's for the letters engraved On my tomb stone my platoon knows my dyin' wishes if I Decide to risk it I'm goin' in unhindered the rest of ya'll Can run timid and pray for ya kingdom to come Hither - me? I'll be buildin' a movement with militants Troopin' - willin' to prove it without the killin' and shootin' Not concerned about who's the illest to do it We all one transcendin' fall from our original blessin' Meaning wherever there's limits you stretch 'em Until you reach the pinnacle press in and keep forward Monks on the hunt fastin' and meditatin' on street corners The Ghetto Abbot losing only to win's the weapon Through the calm silence of nonviolent insurrection (Victory) Through the blood, through the sweat, through the tears I know through it all that I'ma persevere (Triumph) Through the pain, through the fights, through the fear I know through it all that I'ma persevere (Overcome) Through the days, through the months, through the years I know through it all that I'ma persevere (Conquer) Through the blood, through the sweat, through the tears I know for this glory my suffering don't compare Through patient endurance we orchestrate A different course to take triumphing over the force of hate So let 'em have all the money, power, respect We'll shrivel to nothingness and won't cower or fret without a regret The louder it gets the softer I speak Offer a cheek to the butcher as he slaughters the sheep To give away your life's a virtue of only the freed They figured they would bury us but didn't know we were seeds So we will bleed with the love of a father as they dug us in farther The soil's fertile by the blood of the martyrs We facin' a wretched death so the world can taste life Cuz we've already unearthed that pearl of great price Expanded consciousness can accomplish this higher the self But to reach heaven gotta endure the fires of hell I'm inspired to fail that's how we go farther I will resurrect three days after my ego's martyred I'm ready (Victory) Through the blood, through the sweat, through the tears I know through it all that I'ma persevere (Triumph) Through the pain, through the fights, through the fear I know through it all that I'ma persevere (Overcome) Through the days, through the months, through the years I know through it all that I'ma persevere (Conquer) Through the blood, through the sweat, through the tears I know for this glory my suffering don't compare Death is as positive as birth, and as such, should be a matter for rejoicing Because death is the symbol of the liberation "I pray that death will not come and fine me unannihilated" In other words, that man dies happy, if there is no one to die The ego has disappeared before death caught up with it