Let the little girls jump rope in the street

While the little boys play ball

Determined to be the next famous ball player

Let’s pretend there is no crime

Don’t allow them to be pressured by their surroundings

Or affected by their parents stress

The type of stress that has a single mothers’ head hanging

Wishing she could turn back the clock and do things differently

The type of stress that frustrate fathers

Tired of doors closing

So he shuts down and passes this manner of relating on to his son

 Let them be kids a little while longer

Pretend they don’t see the used needles on the ground

Or small packets where powder or rocks used to be

Shield them from the evil that lurks around the corner

Pretend there are no liquor stores within reach

With lost men sitting outside on crates,

Or half-dressed women for sale

Walking up and down the street going nowhere

While we are pretending

Let’s pretend they slept through the arguing last night

Maybe they did not see the cops take someone to jail

Maybe they will forget what they have already seen

A friend shot or murdered outside their door

The news

Where dangerous storms and terrorist acts are common

We must educate them and keep them aware

But I wish we could

Let them be kids a little while longer