Poem written by David Nelson
Performed by Nina Simone at Harlem Cultural Festival, 1969
Are you ready, Black people?
Are you ready?
Are you ready?
Are you ready?
Are you ready, Black people?
Are you ready, Black people?
Are you really ready?
Ready to do what is necessary?
Ready to do what is necessary to do?
Are you ready Black man?
Black woman are you ready?
Are you really really ready?
Hear me good now
Hear me good now
Are you ready to kill if necessary?
Is your mind ready?
Is your body ready?
Are you ready to do what you have to do to create life?
Are you ready to smash White things?
To burn buildings are you ready?
Are you ready to build Black things?
Are you ready to give yourself,
Your love,
Your soul,
Your heart,
To create life?
Are you ready to create out of nothing?
Are you ready, Black people?
Are you ready?
Are you ready?
Black man,
Black youth,
Black woman,
Black everybody,
Are you really, really, really ready?
I ain't finished yet
You got to get your-own-self together, you see?
You got to ask yourself these questions
Are you ready to call the wrath of Black Gods?
Black magic
to do you bidding?
Are you ready to use your whatever is necessary?
Let me hear you say it
Like this. . .
Yes, I am ready
Yes, I am ready
Are you ready to groove?
Are you ready to listen to all the beautiful Black voices,
of beautiful Black feeling,
the Beautiful Black waves,
Moving in beautiful air?v Are you ready to love Black,
Always loving Black?
Are you ready, Black people?
Are you ready?
Are you ready to listen?
Are you ready to hear?
Are you ready to feel?
Are you ready to do?
Black people, are you ready?
Most important, are you ready to change?
I said, are you ready to change?
Are you ready to change yourself?
You what I'm talking about?
You what I'm talking about?
Are you ready to go inside yourself and change yourself?
Are you ready to change
To a really groovy, groovy Black person?
Are you really ready to change yourself
Turn yourself inside out, through and through,
And make yourself through and through,
And through,
And through,
And through,
Real Black person?
I said, are you ready?
