Company you keep

In shadows and lights of the urban stage,

Lives woven with strength through each age,

Black men stand, observantly wise,

Watching the company as time flies.

Wisdom deep in their gaze does keep

A vigil over the company they reap,

For the streets whisper both truth and tales,

And companionship often sets the sails.

A brother, a friend, a mentor too,

In the crowd, yet in solitude,

Knows well that bonds forged in fire,

Can lift one high or entangle in mire.

Not just a hue, but a heritage grand,

Where every encounter is a line in the sand,

A choice to stand with those who uplift,

Or walk in shadows and set adrift.

A tapestry rich with threads so bold,

Stitching the new into the fold of the old,

Black men with dreams firm in their keep,

Know worth is shown by the company we leap.

Silent sentinels of histories untold,

Carrying legacies more precious than gold,

They teach without speaking, leading with poise,

That life's gravest measure is the weight of our choice.

In timeless dance, they move with grace,

Each step in this world leaving a trace,

A statement profound without ever a peep,

For even a king is known by his keep.

So, watch and reflect on those by your side,

In their intentions and spirits confide,

For black men know, as the wise always weep,

That destiny echoes the company you keep.