LITERATURE -- DARE TO BE AN ALPHA MAN

DARE TO BE AN ALPHA MAN

Dare, collegiate men of dreams

To go well armed in all your schemes

And pay no heed to distracting things

That would have your patience tried.

For seven men did found one year

A vision they saw as crystal clear

Through trials and tribulations

Sweat and tears

A brotherhood couldn't be denied.

There was no task they would not do

For first of all they were servants who

Transcended all and remained so true

To the precepts they pledged so faithfully.

Personal progress as a must

Loyalty to those deserving trust

With dishonor or disgust to those that treat women other than politely.

With high moral character as their aim

And outstanding scholasticism treated the same

Love for mankind was the eternal flame

That cast a light across a nation

Of strong Black men unified as one

Fully aware the job's not done

And the battle never will be won

Without the captains at their stations.

Dare we be leaders amongst all men

Fully aware that we may sin

Yet very confident we won't again

In the self same manner we did before.

With initiative as ours to take,

The daring to gamble, to make a mistake

For when all is shattered

Our pride will not break

And we'll continue to strive for more.

While some say arrogance is our great fault

We know this nonsense will never halt

Unless our prides placed in a vault

And that is something we'll never do

For we have got Alpha in our heart

A fraternal bond which is very smart

That encompasses every integral part

Of we "Alpha Men."

For brotherhood is what we have dared

In a world that is frankly scared

To express feelings of love and care

Due to society's image laden game of chess

But we know images are to project,

not to hide nor to protect.

So we try to always reflect

exactly who we are and nothing less

True to ourselves we will always be

For success in life is not guaranteed

So we will most assuredly

Conduct ourselves with the utmost taste.

For we are men that all should know

when cast as extras

can steal the show

for unlike the wind which dies and grows

our aura remains constant to state our case.

We are men of colors, Black and Gold.

Men who won't be bought and sold.

With Alpha Phi Alpha dwelling in our soul

In a world that can't understand

That men of destiny from birth we are

Men that shine bright as a star

Men who have dared to have gone so far

As to have dared to be

Alpha men.

Brother Dr. J. W. Wiley

Mu Chi Chapter

May, 1983

Pi Tau Lambda

ONECA

Bro. Mason referenced this poem in a recent message, but only a excerpt was found. Bro. Wiley sends the full version, with regards to the brothers.