Lyrks
Lyrks
Lyrks
Cover Art

South carolina at war Lyrics by Jacqueline Woodson

0

Because we have a right, my grandfather tells us--
we are sitting at his feet and the story tonight is
why people are marching all over the South--
to walk and sit and dream wherever we want.
First they brought us here.
Then we worked for free. Then it was 1863,
and we were supposed to be free but we weren't.
And that's why people are so mad.
And it's true, we can't turn on the radio
without hearing about the marching.
We can't go to downtown Greenville without
seeing the teenagers walking into stores, sitting
where brown people still aren't allowed to sit
and getting carried out, their bodies limp,
their faces calm.
This is the way brown people have to fight,
my grandfather says.
You can't just put your fist up. You have to insist
on something
gently. Walk toward a thing
slowly.
But be ready to die,
my grandfather says,
for what is right.
Be ready to die, my grandfather says,
for everything you believe in.
And none of us can imagine death
but we try to imagine it anyway.
Even my mother joins the fight.
When she thinks our grandmother
isn't watching she sneaks out
to meet the cousins downtown, but just as
she's stepping through the door,
her good dress and gloves on, my grandmother says,
Now don't go getting arrested.
And Mama sounds like a little girl when she says,
I won't.
More than a hundred years, my grandfather says,
and we're still fighting for the free life
we're supposed to be living
So there's a war going on in South Carolina
and even as we play
and plant and preach and sleep, we are a part of it.
Because you're colored, my grandfather says.
And just as good and bright and beautiful and free
as anybody.
And nobody colored in the South is stopping,
my grandfather says,
until everybody knows what's true.
Credits
Jacqueline Woodson

Jacqueline Woodson

About “South carolina at war” by Jacqueline Woodson

Read the complete lyrics to "South carolina at war" by Jacqueline Woodson. On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Non-Music, Literature.

"South carolina at war" is performed by Jacqueline Woodson. This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "South carolina at war", explore more songs by Jacqueline Woodson using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

View all songs and biography for Jacqueline Woodson · Trending lyrics · Billboard Hot 100

Frequently asked questions

"South carolina at war" is credited to Jacqueline Woodson. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

Album information for "South carolina at war" is not available in our database yet. You can still read the full lyrics on this page.

Visit the Jacqueline Woodson artist page at /artist/jacqueline-woodson for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.