MLK Weekend Poem, or Free Verse Exercise, 2023

    Another long weekend upon us Americans

    and we celebrate! Sort of, for some-

    -It can be hard to find the right time and place 

    To honor the purpose of this holiday

    

    It has become a Monday off, free of labors, for many;

    Like me

    We love paid days off.

    We thank the good sir Martin, who gave his life for his causes.

    I say "causes", because he had more than one of them, that he lived for

    (he also died for)

    Doctor King:

    Constitutional rights, afforded by our great framers, and subsequent generations

    Ratified when enslavement was a reality 

    Battled over and enforced since

    The Reverend preached for what was on the books

    The Bible, too, as a legal minister, of Jesus

    Plus this notion of non-violence

    Adopted by a Hindu on the other side of the world

    Martin Luther King, named after a German reformer of years past

    Brought to light injustices and problems in our present

    While the United State affects the world

   We citizens of this republic strive to live as examples, enforce our values

    In other lands, with our troops, our vendors, our diplomates

    Our politicians and celebrities, academics and authors

    With whom we share the world

    And we the great United States, still have our problems

    We still have sub-classes of society who are struggling to survive:

    Poor, infirm, disenfranchised, alienated, marginalized, discriminated against

    Voting issues, health problems, law enforcement complaints, death and dying in 

    Poor conditions

    The fight for civil and human rights continue

    The dream lives on for which we salute the Doctor,

    Revend King.

    

    I too have issues, with law enforcement. 

    The arguments and protests of those in uniform versus those stopped and searched,

    or found in their homes: be it knock, no-knock, court order, house arrest warrants

    For those who broke the law

    The innocents who inherit the wrath and mistakes of the police

    Sworn to serve and protect.

    Two young officers were killed while working in Southern California 

    This past week

    Lake Elsinore, another of the same office, struck down too.

    Young parents, doing the right thing, giving their efforts to keep all of us secure.

    Now burial services planned. Or perhaps cremated. Laid down for permanent rest.

    Bad decisions by those who break the law ended their lives, their careers.

    To me, this is not about race. It is about right versus wrong.

    To those who resist law enforcement, and arrest, imprisonment, those that disrespect those in uniform, verbally or physically attack those paid to serve and secure us:

    Stop.

    For those feeling racially aggrieved, my apologies. 

    It is not fair to be suspected of crimes and problems not committed. It is not right to be racially profiled and discriminated against.

    However, our law enforcement officers need our cooperation and assistance.

    We celebrate the life and causes of Martin Luther King by following, abiding by the law, 

    Celebrating the rules that we have come to live by, and die by.

    Christian or no, American or no, skin of one color or no, we are all equal and deserve to live

    In peace.

    Doctor King preached and lived it.

    He suffered for all these things, he eloquently embodied all these things.

    Let us not kill the police.

    Let us not break the law, making others suffer against their rights to life and property.

    Let us be noble citizens and honor the life and death of one great American minister and social justice guru,

    Let us protest the wrong ones: in our hearts, in our voices, in our actions. 

    Plan for peace, for prosperity. Work for it, keep on dreaming.

    Let us protest the terrible deeds of inhumanity, when good lives are cut short.

    And many of us stand and protest, not in sit-ins, or street marches, nor with large angry placards and group chants and songs, 

    But rather, at a funeral procession, a motorcycle cortege, a head bowed at taps, a prayer uttered for those left behind, another gravestone marked too soon, another family left in the wake of a life snuffed out way too early. 

    We honor them in the national anthem, at school, at games, at special ceremonies.

    We stand and acknowledge and honor the fallen heroes in such times,

    Offering our own prayers

    Quietly mourning and remaining resolutely in solidarity with those who have been lost.

    Let me submit, like Malcolm and Martin and thousands, millions of others:

    Protest this, my brothers and sisters: 

    

    do not judge one another on or by the skin of the wearer of such tones, but rather measure our worth by the weight and gravity of the merits of he and she and they that gave to their community, 

that risked themselves and their safety for the peace and tranquility that we all deserve.

    May we revere the good doctor of Christianity and public discourse and federal and community service and goodness as he wished it all to happen.

    Eventually. The good Doctor had prophetic dreams for the future, as all visionaries do.

    May we not cut down those that are working and living to fulfill his dreams.

    His causes.

    His admonitions.

    His sermons.

    His country.

    Stand for our country, our Constitution, our God, our peace and strength.

    Stand and deliver to whomever you worship

    Be free, and remember those that gave us all things.

    

    Happy MLK Day; 

    We are sorry for those that were brought down unjustly.

    We will not forget all your great sacrifices.

    We think of betterment on this weekend, thinking of his principles and ideals.

    MLK was all of us.