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(Is this truly a complete change in expectations or is this more of an evolution of expectations between these two generations?) Walter: I want so many things that they are driving me kind of crazy... Mama, look at me. Mama: I'm looking at you. You a good-looking boy. You got a job, a nice wife, a fine boy and- Walter: A job. [Looks at her.] Mama, a job? I open andd close car doors all day long. I drive a man around in his limousine and I say, "Yes sir; no, sir; very good, sir; shall I take the Drive, sir?" Mama, that ain't no kind of job...that ain't nothing at all. [Very quietly] Mama, I don't know if I can make you understand. Mama: Understand what, Baby? Walter: [Quietly] Sometimes it's like I can see the future stretched out in front of me-just plain as day. The future, mam. Hanging over there at the edge of my days. Just waiting for me- a big, looming blank space- full of nothing. Just waiting for me. [Pause] Mama sometimes when I'm downtown and I pass them cool, quiet-looking restaurants where them white boys are sitting back and talking bout things...sitting there turning deals worth millions of dollars...sometimes I see guys don't look much older than me- Mama: Son- how come you talk so much bout money? Walter: [With immense passion] Because it is life, Mama! Mama: [Quietly.] Oh. [Very quietly.] So now it's life. Money is life. Once upon a time freedom used to be life-now it's money. I guess the world really do change... Walter: No- it was always money, ama. We just didn't know about it. Mama: No...Something has changed. [She looks at him.] You something new, boy. In my time, we was worried about not being lynched and getting to the North if we could and how to stay alive and still have a pinch of dignity too... Now here come you and Beneatha- talking bout things we ain't never even thought about hardly, me and your daddy. You ain't satisfied or proud of nothing we done. I mean that you had a home; that we kept you out of trouble till you was grown; that you don't have to ride to work on the back of nobody's streetcar- You my children- but how different we done become. Walter: You just don't understand, Mama, you just don't understand.

I am saddened by the level of materialism that exists not only among our young people, but Americans in general. It has always been an issue in this country since the beginning; the nation's constant expansion was based on Europeans' insatiable appetite for land which in those days was directly connected to wealth. Although we do need to establish our own businesses and financial institutions to provide employment and prosperity for our people, the everything has a price' attitude had devolved relationships between men and women to what one or the other can afford. Women and men have placed a price on themselves, believing that money buys happiness. I think that's the reason we see so many celebrities and other wealthy people resorting to dangerous behavior. They spent their lives seeking wealth only to find that once they have it it's not enough. There has to be a purpose to your life. We as parents and elders much teach that to our young ones.

Sankofa My sons and daughters Why remain disconnected? We have been waiting. Holocaust Come let us reason. Everyone else remembers. We forget our own. Rosey In the West Indies, The truth is sweet like sugar Here, soft as cotton. Hell It wasn't so bad Yes, this is the narrative Told... and accepted. Keepers Keepers of the flame Torch within non-consuming Keepers of The Way. Legacy We must remember That this is not all there was There was still "before"

ACROSS AFRICA'S CONTINENT, RISING IS THE SUN..AFRICA'S PEOPLE AND ANIMALS AWAKENED,A NEW DAY HAS BEGUN..HEARD,ECHOES OF ELEPHANTS AND LIONS ROAR..PREPARING TO FISH,ARE TRIBEMAN AT THE SHORE..TRIBE WOMEN TEACHING ANCESTRAL TRADITIONS TO THEIR YOUNG..WITH THEIR CHILDREN ANCESTRAL SONGS HAVE BEEN SUNG..UPON AFRICA,AFTER CHASING WILDEBEEST AND ZEBRA ON THE SERENGHETI..A MOTHER LEOPARD, TAKES HER PREY TO HER CUBS UP IN A TREE.A LIONESS,PREPARING TO POUNCE,SILENTLY CREEPING.OBSERVED BY GAZELLE,THEY QUICKLY BEGIN FLEEING..LEADING THE FEMALES AND BABY ELEPHANTS IS THE MATRIARCH ELEPHANT MOTHER...BABY HIPPOS WITH THEIR MOTHERS AT THE CONGO RIVER.YORUBA AND ZULU TRIBE WOMEN WEARING THEIR COLORFUL BEADS..TEACHING THEIR YOUNG HOW TO MAKE MASK AND BASKET WEAVE..THE SERENGHETI,MOUNT KILIMAMJARO AND VICTORIA FALLS AMONG AFRICA'S BEAUTY GRAND..THE BUSHMEN TRIBE WANDER ACROSS THE KALAHARI DESERT SAND...THE ELDER TRIBE LEADER SPEAKS NOT THE WHITE MAN'S CHRISTIANITY,BUT THEIR ANCESTRAL SPIRITUAL TRADITION..RITES OF PASSAGE,YOUNG TRIBE BOYS PREPARE FOR THEIR CELEBRATION....SENSELESS WARS,ACROSS AFRICA,HAVE WOMEN AND CHILDREN FLEEING..AFRICA . GENOCIDE THEIR PRESIDENTS AND LEADERS NOT SEEING..DIAMONDS,OIL,ANIMAL POACHING,GREED OF THE WHITE MAN...BEAUTY AMONG CHAOS,UPON THE OLD DARK CONTINENT,AFRICA OUR MOTHER LAND.......

One fine morning a little mouse named Beatrice got ready for church. She went to her closet to pull out her finest church shoes that were hammered together with a piece of wood from a couch, maybe it was birch. Beatrice searched for her only hat to go with the shoes. This is something she thought she would rarely lose. She found the shoes and now it was time to find the dress. It was tucked away in her closet with an elegantly well placed hole she had stitched with a hairtress. Beatrice slipped her little nylons on her small clawed feet. She only had one glove to cover her paw and it had a small stain but once she put it on, it looked fairly neat. Beatrice spit on her paw to tame her fur and style it with a dap of oil can grease. It made sense to her, she was going to praise God who let her have a new lease. As Beatrice exited her home, there stood her mother and her aunt waiting to go to church. Her mother’s left eyebrow went north and the eye stared her down in a lurk. Beatrice’s grandmother’s right eyebrow went south as she observed the scuffmarks on her shoes. She could hear the tisk-tisk in their voices before they even opened their mouths to issue their boo’s. Her mother and grandmother grabbed her by both of her arms and led her back inside. All they could see was that she was trying to take the family name for an embarrassing ride. God did not care what Beatrice had on that particular day. He had given Beatrice those clothes to wear, so she could come to church and pray. She had nothing on her back when she stumbled upon a pile of clothes left at her door, so she cooped them up and took them in to launder galore. There was a note attached that said, “Come as you are and I will bless you with more.”

TO NERO'S LIONS,THE FALSE PROPHET AND HIS SHEEP.ON THEIR PROPHET'S COMMAND THEY JUMP AND LEAP..THEY SPEAK,FOLLOW GOD'S COMMANDMENTS TEN..THEY SPEAK RELIGION TO CONDONE THEIR OWN SIN...TO NERO'S LIONS,THE FALSE PROPHET AND HIS SHEEP.IN CHRISTIAN CAMOUFLAGE, WHEN TOWARD SIN THEY CREEP... ..HALLELUJAH JUMPING DOWN AISLES ON CHURCH SUNDAY.OTHER DAYS,LIKE PREDATORS,POUNCING UPON THE EASILY MISGUIDED AND SPIRITUALLY SEARCHING,THESE CHRISTIANS THAT PREY..TO NERO'S LIONS,THE FALSE PROPHET AND HIS SHEEP...WHILE PREACHING HIS SERMON,THE PREACHER BEGINS TO WEEP..PREACHER SPEAKS,YOUR SOUL GOD CAN FREELY ENHANCE...AFTER THE,PREACHER'S PERSONAL USHERS HAVING TAKING UP ANOTHER OFFERING,PREACHER'S CONGREGATION APPLAUDS HIS PULPIT DRAMA PERFORMANCE...