Abraham Lincoln's Memorial 1969 Written by Yolanda Joy Nicholsen

The alarm clock sang out, my dad jumps up 
rushes me into the kitchen, today my love 
is indeed, a very special day for you, my eyes 
wide shut, as he continued, explaining civil rights
 
Cramming memories, into my little head I mean 
I'd remember sitting, on my Nona's lap as, 
Martin Luther King was killed in Birmingham 
my entire family, regressed into deep sadness
 
Aging over night perhaps, so did I ,our last names 
were Parks and King, let me tell you, during the 
60's in Chicago, if a riot broke out our names, 
were instantly called, over tornado speakers 

Sound off Mohammed speaks, we were rushed 
into dark sedans, being slowly driven down, 
Roosevelt road this was 1969 first grade 
I was preparing, to visit Lincoln's home,
 
and tomb mom combed, through my curl's, 
my grandmother ,rubbed Vaseline on my face elbows, 
and knees ,this big fuss over me, I was actually named 
after Martins daughter, well Miss. Yolanda king
 
you get to sing, on the steps of Lincoln's memorial, 
Marian Anderson's hymn, sometimes I feel like a 
motherless child, afterwards the Supreme Court Justice,
we were mourning ,with happy tears, these brown face's 
doting on me, five generations in my mist 
           standing in line, to give me a big kiss 
Written by Mrs Yolanda Joy Nicholsen
Copyright © | Year Posted 2014

Poem

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Ink-U-Script Avatar
April 22, 2014 at 10:34 AM
I love this write...I was thrilled by the fact that you shared this with us. Thank you...and I agree with the comment Larry presented.
Nicholsen Avatar
February 10, 2026 at 11:10 PM
Thank you so much
Berdoo Avatar
April 12, 2014 at 9:03 AM
Beautiful write, Miss Yolanda. Rich with history. Without saying, alot of work ahead of all of us.
Nicholsen Avatar
February 10, 2026 at 11:10 PM
Thank you so much
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