Im still standing as I walk these streets with pride. Life aint easy, but I do my best every day. I hold me chin up high, because I believe in do or die. And after what I've been through, I will do anything jist to live. Death is not an option. I won't die, not yet, so I gotta do.

I know they hate us. I don't have to know it, because I can feel it. But that dont make much of a difference to me. I still gotta do what I gotta do. I'm gonna be up and at 'em, 5 a.m. sharp. I'm gonna be milking those cows, pitchin' that hay, tossin' it up or down, 'pendin' on where it all needs to go. And nothins gonna stop me, hear? Not a thing.
Even when they yell, when they fight, and throw them ugly tomatoes at me. Even then, I mutter to meself, I say, “Sticks and stones, them kin break me bones, but words, tomatoes? Them aint never gonna harm me” and I pray to G-d that He grant me the courage to continue.
I have a family; three daughters, a wife. I don't rightly know where they are now, somewhere up north, I reckon, but I aim to see them all one day. I heard word down the line that a son was born to me wife, bout five months after they got taken away. I always knew it in me bones I’d have a little boy to call me own one day.

Them streaks of red and gold, I'll tell him, that's sunlight. When it glances off of glass, jist like that, see, you can burn leaves. And don't you worry about them foul words you hear; just ignore them. You gotta hold your head up high, son, right high. Nicely, now. Jist look straight ahead, cuz even though they say we dirty people, we are gold. They may not see it, you see, they can't possibly see it, even if they do try. But inside, we is GOLD, we have hearts of GOLD. Always remember that son, jist like the sun that shines down. We too are made of gold.
Don't you forget it son.
Tell your mama I love her, son. And your sisters. Tell em all. I love you too, son.
I know, it's right hot down here. But I'll make it, I will. I aim to see you real soon son. Jist hold your head up high, jist the way I do as I walk down their streets. I hear em comin' now, son. Pray to the Lord, and I'll see you soon. Real soon, son.
In the place where the sun shines gold.