Conquer (I Am Becoming)

We all know the moment well. You hear it in your hunger. Your feet turn to tree trunks. I won't be moved. And the conquerer inside exhales a war cry. He sings. Shoulder blades expand into wings. Not fearless. See, that's a clear indication of ignorance. You ain't done your homework, brought a switchblade to a gunfight. No, it's in the face of resistance. It's when it pales in comparison. The promise of the possibility far surpasses the perils of the pursuit. We persevere. That Plains Indian bison hunter gets the biting at your backbone. You can taste the adrenaline. Please, let your boys watch Man vs. Wild. There's a Bear Grylls in all of us,  caged in our cubicles and smartphones. We conquer! 16th century Pilgrims braving the toughest winter this land has ever seen -- 4 in 6 settlers die that winter. Conquer. Teachable. Let the natives show you how to harvest crops from beach sand. It seems like the planet is fighting back. Conquer. Daniel in the belly of the beast -- capital of Babylon -- refused to eat like a king. I don't need your love, I'll take my chances at a slumber party with lions before I'll sell out. Conquer. D-Day, storming Normandy shores. The bloodiest war this world has ever seen but democracy is worth it. Conquer. Slave trade our grandmothers were sold off auction blocks. They checked her teeth like she was cattle or a race horse. Billy clubs, fire hydrants, wild dogs. Lynchings, Jim Crow laws, assassinations. None of it matters, we march. Refuse to let my grandkids drink from a separate fountain. Two by two sit-ins -- we desire service. Nervous but we deserve to be treated like citizens. Conquer. Let's take it home. Conquer! Look them OGs in their faces! Jump me, chase me home, threaten my lil' brother, but I am not joining your set. I'm not slanging for you. I am not nor ever will be a statistic. I ain't going to jail for none of y'all. Conquer! You guard your heart, starve your eyes. Turn off the porn. There's a God look-alike queen counting on your patience. Courage. The guts to say no and to keep your hands off another man's blessing. Fight! Don't punk out. You'll be a slave to your sex drive. Murder your flesh. Conquer. I will clean toilets, mop floors, shine shoes, ask you if you'd like fries with your order, clean up dog droppings. I will wash windshields at the stoplight before I'll let my family go hungry. Men work! No shortcuts, no cheating. Night job, night school, night shift, night train, I'll walk home in the rain. No pain, no gain. The honor of an honest day's pay. Tucking my little girl in with pride. Building her dreams with my bare hands. Every nail, every screw in this house I can trace to each of Daddy's gray hairs and wrinkles. Conquer. You got the same 24 hours I got. You got the courage to not waste yours? 4th quarter. Down by 1. Championship. 3 seconds left. Free throw line. No fouls to give. You take courage or ride the bench. There is no other alternative. Conquer! You'd better find it! Courage. Man up.