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Marge Tindal
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Florida's Foreverly Shores

0 posted 2000-08-28 02:32 AM


The Darkling
~*Marge Tindal*~

She rushed through the door and flung herself into my arms,
little catches of her breath trailing after her sobs.
This sweet child of grace so agonized by something that
oozed from every pore of her discontent.
I could only hold her close, stroking the soft curl of her hair,
until her river of misery had run it's course.

Finally able to quell the tiny heaving of her sighs, she looked at my face
with leftover tears clinging to her lashes and asked,
"Mama, why don't other grown-up mama's like me like you do ?"

Quizzing must have shown in my face, for she questioned me again.

"Mama, tell me ... tell me !  Why don't other mama's like me ?"

"Sweetie, of course they like you.  Silly girl !", I teased.

She pulled away and glared through those ebony eyes.
Where there had been hurt there was now a tinge of anger.
"No they don't !  They don't like me at all.  And you won't tell me why."

"Sweetheart, whatever makes you think they don't like you ?"

"Jessica said I was different."  
She said she didn't know what that was, but her mama said I was different."
"Mama, what does different mean ?"
"Mama, am I different ?"

"Yes, you are different.  We are all different.
You are my child.  You make me happy.
Just my style of different."
"Sweet little love, with those eyes and your satin ebony skin, no mama could help but love you."

Now the quizzing looked back at me.

"Do you even know what ebony is ?" , I asked in wonder.

Contemplatively, her little head slowly shook from side to side,
"No, I don't know, Mama.  What is it ?"

Realizing the fragility of this moment, I took her tiny hand in mine
and led her to the piano bench.
Her pouting face had turned quizzical once again.
I placed her hands on the keys alongside mine and she smiled.

"My love, these dark keys are black, the color of ebony.
Like the lovely color of your skin.
The light keys are ivory colored.
They are like the color of your little friends skin.
Together they can make a happy song to sing.
Come on, you play the ivory ones and I'll play the ebony ones.
Let's see what pretty music we can make together."

We played a couple of simple merry tunes.
When we finished I smiled down at my child.
"Now do you know what color ebony is ?", I softly smiled.

From the pouty rose-tinged ebony lips came a reply I wasn't aware she held within her.

"Yeah, Mama, I know what ebony is now.
It must be the color that makes other kids mamas whisper to their ivory,
"Do you really have to invite all the kids in your class to your party ?"

© Copyright 2000 Marge Tindal - All Rights Reserved
Paula Finn
Member Ascendant
since 2000-06-17
Posts 5546
missouri
1 posted 2000-08-28 07:37 AM


aaahhhhhhh this stings...a childs innocence so easily shattered by such careless adult words.
Sudhir Iyer
Member Ascendant
since 2000-04-26
Posts 6943
Mumbai, India : now in Belgium
2 posted 2000-08-28 08:52 AM


This is so hurting... sharper and more painful than a thousand bees stinging all at the same time...

This goes to show how well you wrote this one...

regards to you O Marge,
sudhir

LoveBug
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3 posted 2000-08-28 10:45 AM


Oh Marge, it's terrible that such prejuduce and ignorance still exist in the world. You've captured the pain well. I'll be looking for more!  

"We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars." -Oscar Wilde
"The robbed that smiles steals something from the thief" -Shakespea

Dusk Treader
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Senior Member
since 1999-06-18
Posts 1187
St. Paul, MN
4 posted 2000-08-28 11:34 AM


Well wrought piece here, Marge. Showing off the pain of the prejudice that still exists.. This one does sting, as it should. Great writing.

Abrahm Simons

"Keep on dreamin' boy 'cause when you stop dreaming it's time to die" - Blind Melon

Martie
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since 1999-09-21
Posts 28049
California
5 posted 2000-08-28 02:14 PM


Marge--great job showing the hurt caused by the thorn of prejudice.  (pssst Marge---I like your prose as much as your poetry, cause it shows your loving and wise heart)
Cerenity
Member Elite
since 2000-02-16
Posts 2637
Escondido-California
6 posted 2000-08-28 04:51 PM


Hi Marge,

You took a dark subject and made it come out OK I see this kind of thing happening all of the time, I tought my kids that skin color made no difference and so far they see no color barriers, I know my mother was one that hated other skin colors and was so ugly about it I hated being around her and grow up not being as she, awesome job and its neet to see you doing a prose, im afraid I would put my readers to sleep very fast (~.~)


Love, Cerenity


"God doesn't have to be reminded that we exist.
We have to be reminded that He exist!"

(Writer Unknown)


Mark Bohannan
Member Rara Avis
since 2000-06-21
Posts 7269
In the winds of Cherokee song
7 posted 2000-08-29 12:44 PM


Ooohhhh Marge.....I am so glad that I checked in here tonight.  I was so happy to see your name up with a prose and knowing how much I love your poetry you had to know that this would top them all.  The way you brought a delicate subject to light and taught in the end the real beauty of the importance of individualities in each and everyone of us including color of skin.  Our maker's way of insuring that no matter what we will always have that to enjoy as long as we stop to appreciate the beauty in it instead of trying to create ugliness.  I am rambling again but your piece was so wonderful.....I especially loved the end where the innocence of truth in the child sang out loudly.
Alicat
Member Elite
since 1999-05-23
Posts 4094
Coastal Texas
8 posted 2000-08-29 09:50 AM


Marge, this is definately a zinger/stinger, and make no mistake!  No matter where I live, stay, or visit in this huge country, I always have a knack for finding the ugly, ignorant prejudices of others, regardless of their actual skin tone.  Through Texas, over to Oregon, across to Michigan, and down to Arizona, still have I found such.  I saddens me a bit, but I realize that it is a necessary evil.  For, without prejudice, how can acceptance be measured?  And, even if, as per Dr. King, we were judged not by the color of our skin, but by the content of our character, there would still be found something to categorize people.

Heh...Marge, you had some powerful writing here...just realized I went off on a spiel, and that takes powerful writing indeed.

Marge Tindal
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Florida's Foreverly Shores
9 posted 2000-08-30 02:14 AM


Paula~
I'm so pleased that you found the real reason
behind this little piece.
But, that doesn't surprise me at all.

Sudhir~
Sadly, a little member of one
of my mentor groups inspired this ...
Thank you for your compassion.

LoveBug~
I appreciate you.
I don't know if I'll do another, but with
such sweet encouragement ... anything's possible.

DuskTreader~
Thank you for your comments.
I appreciate the read.

Martie~
Thank you, sweet person.

Cerenity~
Hon, to have suffered the prejudice and
risen above it is a testament to your compassion.
Thank you.

MarkB~
I'm glad you came in too.
Children are so intensely affected by the
show of prejudice ... and so hurt.
Thanks, friend.

AliCat~
The 'spiel' is probably one of the reasons
I was compelled to try this piece.
As tender as I felt it ... I can't change it.
That's sad.
Thank you for your observations.
~*Marge*~


~*The pen of the poet never runs out of ink, as long as we breathe.*~
noles1@totcon.com



Christopher
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Member Rara Avis
since 1999-08-02
Posts 8296
Purgatorial Incarceration
10 posted 2000-09-01 02:25 PM


As Ali said.. I've seen it all over the place. But I will say, as a ray of hope, that it seems education and integration go a long way toward defeating all predjudices.

Well done!  

kaile
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singapore
11 posted 2000-09-04 10:28 PM


Marge,real glad i checked in tonight and found a prose piece by you...

hmmm...the ending is real haunting...i was expecting the child to come to terms with herself but her reply stunned and pained me....why must a child be subjected to such intolerance and prejudice?

Lovely story--will be looking forward to more from you

Irish Rose
Member Patricius
since 2000-04-06
Posts 10263

12 posted 2000-09-29 10:31 PM


I enjoyed this.  I had almost forgotten that some people are black and some are white, too bad the rest of the world can't forget it for a time. < !signature-->

Kathleen




[This message has been edited by Irish Rose (edited 09-29-2000).]

AngelShell
Member
since 2000-03-01
Posts 446
not heaven nor hell so...
13 posted 2000-09-30 05:36 AM


So sad and so true...too bad the rest of the world cannot read and understand these sweet words you have written...too bad the rest of the world cannot share in the view a lot share on this topic...too bad the rest of the world will always hold a prejudice undertone no matter where you go.

Congratualations for writting such a great piece.
Shell.

**These are the moments, I thank god that I'm alive, and these are the moments, I'll remember all my life**

vlraynes
Member Rara Avis
since 2000-07-25
Posts 8229
Somewhere... out there...
14 posted 2001-10-05 03:20 AM



Marge-
   NOW, I know why I had the urge to play
   in the Marge archives tonight.
   What a treat to find a piece of prose
   from your wonderful pen.

   This is such a powerful and meaningful write,
   and I believe it is VERY appropriate for
   our current times.
   If only more people would realize the harm
   that is done to so many children EVERYDAY
   by this kind of ignorance, it would be
   a much better world.
   I'm so glad you shared this.
   Love you,
   ~Vicky




"...until you have read the verse on his heart,
you have not truly met the poet.
~vlraynes

[This message has been edited by vlraynes (edited 10-05-2001).]

Marge Tindal
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Florida's Foreverly Shores
15 posted 2001-10-05 04:44 AM


I guess I'd almost forgotten this one was here.

Christopher~
Thanks for stopping by for a read.

Kaile~
Thank you so much for your assessment of the story.
I guess that children are forced to come to terms with the reality of this world ... no matter how 'big people' try to gloss over it, prejudice still touches their lives so acutely.
Maybe someday it won't be so ... but for now, unfortunately it is still there.

Vicky~
Just hugging your neck for 'playing' in the archives.  Sometimes you dig up something that moves me ... this is one that I needed to be reminded of~
Thank you so much~
Love ya'
~*Marge*~

~*The pen of the poet never runs out of ink, as long as we breathe.*~
noles1@totcon.com            

Bec
Member
since 2001-02-23
Posts 475
Canberra
16 posted 2001-10-07 11:31 PM


Marge...
It's terrible that things like this are still happening in the world, but when there are people like you to remind us that we're all the same underneath, there's a good chance that things can change!
Bec  

The past is a foreign country - they do things differently there ~ Unknown

Marge Tindal
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Florida's Foreverly Shores
17 posted 2001-10-08 02:16 PM


Bec~
Thank you, dear.
I wish that it were possible that all believed it~
But, we can make a difference if we work with the youth of today~
They WILL make a difference tomorrow~
*Hugs*
~*Marge*~

~*The pen of the poet never runs out of ink, as long as we breathe.*~
noles1@totcon.com            

Sunshine
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Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354
Listening to every heart
18 posted 2001-10-08 04:03 PM



My thanks to Bec for bringing this up, dusting it off, and breathing in some life to an otherwise difficult, and sad, situation.  Now, to share this with my grandchild's fourth grade class....

Marge Tindal
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Florida's Foreverly Shores
19 posted 2001-10-08 08:12 PM


Karilea~
Thank you ... knowing it was shared would warm my heart~
But ... you already knew that~
Love n' hugs~
~*Marge*~

~*The pen of the poet never runs out of ink, as long as we breathe.*~
noles1@totcon.com            

LoveLetters
Junior Member
since 2001-10-09
Posts 35
State of Hope
20 posted 2001-10-10 01:23 AM


This was haunting and touching. I enjoyed reading this look into this aspect of life.

Love has many masks. I am but one of them.

Marge Tindal
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Florida's Foreverly Shores
21 posted 2001-10-10 10:32 AM


LoveLetters~
Thank you very much.
Welcome to Passions.

I think this is the only prose piece I have posted here but I am encouraged by the responses to perhaps do another.
~*Marge*~

~*The pen of the poet never runs out of ink, as long as we breathe.*~
   noles1@totcon.com              

Mysteria
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22 posted 2001-10-10 04:03 PM


Well you have to know how important I think this piece of writing is Marge.  This is of course my one true crusade - to eliminate prejudice and it does start with what our children learn from us.  It breaks my heart to see a child suffer at the word's that obviously came from an adult's mouth.  I want to keep bumping this until every one gets it!  Fantastic Marge, but I am sorry it had to be on this subject that is so true.

~I always have time to listen to someone talking from their heart~

Marge Tindal
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Florida's Foreverly Shores
23 posted 2001-10-11 12:08 PM


Mysteria~
Thanks for the read.
It was an inspired piece that unfortunately has it's roots in deeply seeded prejudical remarks passed from generation to generation.

Sadly, it won't ever end ... but little by little perhaps the hurt will be lessened.
I pray that it's so.
~*Marge*~

~*The pen of the poet never runs out of ink, as long as we breathe.*~
   noles1@totcon.com              

Marge Tindal
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Florida's Foreverly Shores
24 posted 2005-10-28 10:47 AM



for Larry~

~*No matter what I search for ...
let me know when it is LOVE that I find*~ <))><

Email - noles1@totcon.com

tracie66
Member Elite
since 2000-01-18
Posts 4713
Australia
25 posted 2006-01-01 06:55 PM


Dear Margie
thanks for sharing this powerful and inspiring prose. I stumbled in here this morning, looked you up and so glad I read this.
Thanks again
~hugs~
Tracie

Love is the life of the soul...
It is the harmony of the universe



Corinne
Member Ascendant
since 1999-10-28
Posts 5167
state of confusion
26 posted 2006-01-13 05:41 PM


Subtle message tucked into soft layers.

Sweetly told, Marge.


Corinne

Trillium
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Member Patricius
since 2001-03-09
Posts 12098
Idaho, USA
27 posted 2006-01-22 03:08 PM


Dear Marge:

I see this is an older post, but I had never read it before and it has a powerful message! Glad to see it being brought back and it is so compassionately written!

Love
Betty Lou

Betty Lou Hebert

Vintage_wings
New Member
since 2007-11-26
Posts 4
South Carolina, USA
28 posted 2007-12-17 05:56 PM


Marge:
Ever the poet! Good story, well told. Enjoyed it a lot.
Bob DeBurgh.

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