Ten and Two

Engine off. Church lot. Everybody sleepin'.
Everybody but me... and this watch.
Ten and two...

Fire couldn't put us out, took a landlord to do it
Back of Grandmama's church, only God and her knew it
Twelve hours at the Port, I got grease in every crease
These hands paid a landlord's mortgage, now they can't sign a lease
Mama sleep in her work shoes, hymnal over her face
Thumb on "Precious Lord, Take My Hand," still holdin' the place
Lil sis think we campin', 'cause that's what I told her
Smile drawn in the fog, and her crayons in the cup holder
I hold Mama's compact to each of they lips for a minute
Every window in this car fogged up, we still in it
Then the fog went red, and her smile turned blue
Tap-tap on the window, that ain't stained-glass light comin' through
Flashlight on my cheek, read my scar like a rap sheet
Nah, that's a receipt: Grandmama carried me out the heat
In park, ten and two, on a wheel with nowhere to steer
He say, "Where you live?" I say, "Officer... right here."

Ten and two, ten and two
Some pray on their knees, we pray at ten and two
Yes sir, yes sir, I keep 'em still for you
Ten and two, ten and two
Breathe slow, don't reach, hum Grandmama's hymn till it's through
Sleep, baby sis, I'm keepin' watch over you

He run my name, and the screen say theft, that was formula
Sis was a newborn, I just wanted somethin' warm for her
She wake up to the light, ask me, "Is it mornin'?"
I say, "Not yet, baby, this just a warnin'."
Other kids get the Talk on a couch 'bout birds and bees
We get reds and blues, hands out the window, drop the keys
Lord, Your house got lights on, but we sleepin' in the dark lot
Grandmama's lease say no guests, so we got Your parkin' spot
So who I'm s'posed to hate? A bank man dead and gone?
Drew our block in '37, left his red pen drawn
Red line on the map, now a spotlight every night
They graded us D, and they still grade us on sight
He tapped the roof twice, said, "You guys be safe," and he meant it
But safe cost first, last, and deposit, we can't rent it
Don't reach, don't run, that's the Talk, now I'm handin' it to you
Ten toes down, two hands showin', keep 'em still at ten and two

Ten and two, ten and two
Some pray on their knees, we pray at ten and two
Yes sir, yes sir, I keep 'em still for you
Ten and two, ten and two
Breathe slow, don't reach, hum Grandmama's hymn till it's through
Sleep, baby sis, I'm keepin' watch over you

Sunday mornin', church Cadillacs parkin' right around us
Big hats peekin' in the window where the flashlight found us
Mama open the hymnal where her thumb held the page
Choir singin' "Take My Hand," and mine a fist in a cage
Grandmama gave me her watch, time died on the dial
Ten after ten: only broke things hold a smile
Glass cracked, one fire that struck in the dark, left a scar
Me and that watch been stuck since, now we stuck in a car
But a stopped watch ain't dead, it's just waitin' on its day
Ten after ten, Sunday mornin', we raisin' hands to pray
Last night that watch look like a man with both his hands up
Standin' in the light, prayin' it stop at handcuffs
This mornin' it's Grandmama's hallelujah hands
Same two hands, only thing that change is whose light lands
Fog lift off the Town, I see sis grown, top down, sky blue
One hand on the wheel, she won't never need no ten and two

Ten and two, ten and two
Some pray on their knees, we pray at ten and two
Yes Lord, yes Lord, I lift 'em up for You
Ten and two, ten and two
Breathe slow, don't reach, hum Grandmama's hymn till it's through
Wake up, baby sis, I kept the watch for you

All three of us still breathin'.
Ten after ten.
Still smilin'.