Documentation without Emancipation

Sat, 03/23/2013 - 19:51 -- jwhite

Location

20623
United States
38° 44' 39.4872" N, 76° 49' 54.2388" W

Documentation without Emancipation

In 1964 the fight was won, or so we thought,
Oh so were done?
History was made in "64" and we have it in writing
Marches and sit-ins, speeches on memorial grounds made peaceful protest
Extremely menacing
Leaders rose, to combat "injustice anywhere because it is a threat to justice everywhere."
We were shackled and chained for 246 years broken spirits in an apocalyptic rain
Emancipation proclaimed in 1865 on a piece of paper
Then we are told that we must remain separate
however we are the same

We both have water fountains though ours is never clean
we both may speak freely but what "we" say must be spoken to one another or remain reticent
we both may ride the same train but of course not the same cart.
We are separate but inherently we are not equal

Brown vs. Board led us to this knowledge and sparked a movement that will change my life as I would've known it.
No more oppression, no more beating in Mississippi for whistling at a girl ,Till, until devastation and tears somehow sparked fire behind me people's leers
Angels were dispatched and descend from above to aid us in a movement but what really was a war.
King, X, Parks, Du Bois, Jackson, Sharpton and countless others from clergymen to mundane mothers
We fought without throwing a punch, they tried to drown us some days before lunch
In 1964 papers were signed!
So we won?
Were at the top!
No work to be done!

PLEASE

how can we sleep when ignorance and bigotry still run our streets
until another can stand atop the Lincoln memorial and depict their dream?
Of ever man and women marrying whoever they deem
when any race or religion can board a plane and not be news
why haven't we moved for civil acceptance?
There are only you to accuse
Free at last.
Not quite yet.
What was written countless years ago was victory but until that Idea of civil acceptance is granted to every citizen no matter race, religion, preference, or creed
I don’t know how we can truly say we all gained the right to be free.

Comments

Additional Resources

Get AI Feedback on your poem

Interested in feedback on your poem? Try our AI Feedback tool.
 

 

If You Need Support

If you ever need help or support, we trust CrisisTextline.org for people dealing with depression. Text HOME to 741741