Used to be a farmer      
Used to till the ground          
Now my tractor's silent          
I can faintly hear the sound        
         
That memory of my father          
As I sat on his knee          
While he taught me the value          
Of the planted seed          
         
Used to be a milkman          
I used to be your friend          
I used to be something          
I'll never be again          
         
Used to be a teacher          
Used to mentor kids          
Used to think it mattered          
Then it all came to this      
          
Had to buy the pencils, paper and the chalk          
Now we hide in closets from a 9 mm glock          
         
Used to make a living          
Used to pay my bills          
Those Corporations came in          
Bought up all the fields          
         
They took away my farm          
Then they took away your rights          
To a better way of living          
They didn't even come in the night        
         
We let them in the front door          
With their teeth so pearly white          
Begging us for money          
To put a dollar store at the light          
         
I used to be something          
I'm gonna damn well be again          
Time to have our say          
Put this to its end          
         
I'll teach my children          
About that planted seed          
The pride when you look down          
At your knuckles when they bleed          
         
Can you see that tractor running          
Through a field of amber waves          
That's my daughter driving          
Can you see her dreadlock braids          
         
They closed down that dollar store          
We got ourselves a organic grocery          
Heard they do a fantastic job          
Give back to the community          
         
I'm still not a milkman          
Though I got a job driving truck          
Now I deliver groceries          
Fell into a little luck          
         
Went back to teaching          
Cause teaching   well you know         
Started funding schools          
The way we should always do          
         
This is where I live          
The land of hope and dreams          
If we can't all have a shot          
Then what does it really mean        
                  
Let us all stand together          
It was made for you and me