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Open Poetry #37
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Hand Me Downs
| Open Poetry #37 |
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Hand Me Downs |
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XOx Uriah xOX Senior Member
since 2006-02-11
Posts 1403Virginia 
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I watched with awe and admiration; Engrossed by the man upon the screen; A man of God, with faith abounding, and a type of courage seldom seen. He spoke of life and of equality; He said he had a dream... A nation filled with brotherhood; Peaceful and serene. He had journeyed to the mountain's summit; He had heard the voice of Freedom ring; In my life I had seen none more deserving... to carry the title of...King. A young man stood beside me... Physically fit and mentally dull. He said, "That nigger ought to be dreamin'... Many a blackjack cracked that skull." I was saddened by the ignorance. The roots of hatred had grown deep. Some misguiding hand had sown the seeds... For a new branch of the tree to reap. The Stone of Bigotry... cast into the sea of life; This man was just another of its ripples. For generations his family had functioned... Unaware of being cripples. One day, I came upon a child... Playing by a fence. A freckled boy of eight years old. I recalled the innocence. In his hand he held a BB gun... On a fencepost was a can. With careful aim, the boy proclaimed... "I'll drop you where you stand!" I asked, "You fightin' bandits? or are you huntin' bear?" He said, "I just dropped me a Jew !" As the can flew through the air. A swastika insignia was sewn upon his cap. Such hatred in a child, not yet ten. The ground showed a "nigger" Coke and the dying Jewish Sprite. I watched him shoot a Coors Light Mexican. I loved my father, dearly; I recall being a lad... Each day brought new questions And answers came from Dad. Curiosity had been aroused, by something I had seen, while browsing through some comic books in a rack of magazines. I saw Sgt. Rock, with fists clenched tight; Temper flared and violence aflame. He was challenging a large black man, with posture much the same. Sgt. Rock declared that he would see if a black man's blood was red. Home I raced, for the picture placed new questions in my head. Curiosity rising to the brink... I needed rescue from the flood. "Daddy, answer me something... "What color is a niggers blood?" "Well Larry", he replied "They dont bleed like me and you." "We had a few of them around during World War Two." "I watched one fade away one day All shot up in a fight... Their blood is thicker than yours and mine; And theirs is milky white." Now, I cant explain why he said those things. But the answer didnt satisfy me long. In a few years, I had sense enough to know that he was wrong. Some things last, and we hold fast to words of wisdom, whimsy and wit. Some things serve to make you strong, And some things just dont fit. I love my family, dearly But I thank God that I found... You have to try the fabric well... and not accept all hand-me-downs. I'll teach no hatred to my son. I'll teach the words of a man among men... Judge a man by the content of his character, not the color of his skin. |
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| © Copyright 2006 Larry F. Leake - All Rights Reserved | |||
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StevenS Senior Member
since 2005-09-21
Posts 945L. A. (Lower Alabama) |
Uriah, This is really something, something good, something strong. It rings with wisdom and truth. Although the world is full of suffering , it is also full of the over coming of it. Helen Keller |
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latearrival Member Ascendant
since 2003-03-21
Posts 5499Florida |
BRAVO! Thank you for posting this. martyjo |
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dgvarner Member Elite
since 2000-05-13
Posts 3552High Springs, Florida |
"You have to try the fabric well... and not accept all hand-me-downs. I'll teach no hatred to my son. I'll teach the words of a man among men... Judge a man by the content of his character, not the color of his skin. " Amen to that....!! I'll count you among the few good men left in the world, my friend... I much enjoy your writings... hugs, g "We of the craft are all crazy...all are more or less touched." Lord Byron |
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icequeen Senior Member
since 2001-12-09
Posts 633FL USA |
You are now one of my heroes. Thank you muchly for this. I now know what to say to one of my friends when that awful word comes out of his mouth... I know he was raised that way, but to me, it is no excuse. Bravo, friend, and I believe you need to write a book.  Caroline |
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latearrival Member Ascendant
since 2003-03-21
Posts 5499Florida |
back to the top! |
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The Lady Member Rara Avis
since 2005-12-26
Posts 7634The Southwest |
"I love my family, dearly But I thank God that I found... You have to try the fabric well... and not accept all hand-me-downs" A wonderful lesson Uriah! |
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OwlSA Member Rara Avis
since 2005-11-07
Posts 9347Durban, South Africa |
STUNNING! I love this. Now, we just need everyone to think like this, and the lion and the lamb can lie down together. I believe it is possible, we just have to make it so - and a few more Uriahs will certainly help! - Owl |
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