Olive Eloisa Guillermo - Fraser Poet Rubaiyat

Notes About The Poem

Black: a Triumph Without Fear

BLACK: A TRIUMPH WITHOUT FEAR

Black is beautiful but being black: somewhat painful...
Teased and excluded by a state of mind from some fools
Tattered roads are the ways our forefathers trod
as before, skin color other than white isn't cool.

Black for some is a sewn gown that women adore
yet years ago black is the hue, some people deplore
for being black is a ladder near to slavery claws
though hearts- wells of white, still some abhors.

Cotton fields and tobacco leaves these where the work
though toiling good and crops aplenty, still no spark
instead, weeps and wails, the constant gleaming prize.
Black history is a staggering race to hit a mark.

Our forefathers one shout: "Let freedom ring"!
It is the longing ardor, we ever want to sing
Even if there are threats to push Black people down
still, we'll follow the fight of Martin Luther King

Black history is a legacy of winning without fear
a chronicle that ebb 'til today, it never disappears,
'cause racism a changeless present story of you and me,
all around the Earth, not dormant in the atmosphere
__________________________________________________________
Sponsor: Verlena S. Walker
Contest Name: Writings in a Black Perspective.
Placed 1st

© O. E. Guillermo
7:40 pm, March 16, 2015

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Line Gauthier February 6, 2021 at 7:38 PM So glad to find this powerful tribute published in the 2020 PS Anthology ~

Sara Kendrick August 5, 2015 at 3:56 PM Good work for Verlena's contest..Way to go..Reads like a winner to me..Thanks for dropping by my page..I appreciate your encouragement..Sara Olive Eloisa Guillermo - Fraser September 2, 2015 at 8:49 AM thank you so much sara always.. =')!

Poet Destroyer A April 8, 2015 at 1:30 PM Congratulations, on being a new Aunt, is it your first time.. If so you are going to love it... My daughter's only 9 and she is an aunt to both my grandkids.. :)

Poet Destroyer A April 2, 2015 at 7:15 PM Hola Olive, I love being a granny... LINDA Olive Eloisa Guillermo - Fraser April 7, 2015 at 8:46 AM weeeeee my mama is a new Granny tooo.. :D! and am a new aunt.. :D!!! weee

Njeri Hunjeri March 29, 2015 at 1:55 AM Congrats girl. You captured this so well. Love it!!! Olive Eloisa Guillermo - Fraser March 29, 2015 at 6:00 AM Thank you so much Njeri.. :) God bless you.. :)!

James Fraser March 24, 2015 at 3:52 PM Mega congrats little one on your deserved win in Verlena's contest. I so LoVe seeing your poetry being well received and recognised, ((( hugs of many ))) from Dino James xxx Olive Eloisa Guillermo - Fraser March 26, 2015 at 5:55 AM mEGA thanks Dino James for your ever warm support on me.. :)! weee! hugs and hugs! olive eloisa xx

Anne-Lise Andresen March 23, 2015 at 5:57 AM - Dear Olive, congratulations on your 1st place win!!!! - A poem to be proud of !!!!! - hugs // Anne-Lise :) Olive Eloisa Guillermo - Fraser March 26, 2015 at 5:55 AM Thanks much ANne Lise.. :)! hugs back!

Ravi Sathasivam March 23, 2015 at 4:22 AM Excellent. beautifully well said. Enjoyed reading it. Tks Olive Eloisa Guillermo - Fraser March 26, 2015 at 5:54 AM Thank you Ravi.. :)! I appreciate your drop by.. :)! GBU

Richard Lamoureux March 21, 2015 at 7:42 AM I see why Verlena gave you the honor of first place. This is very moving. Olive Eloisa Guillermo - Fraser March 22, 2015 at 8:40 AM thanks much RIchard for the visit.. :)! GOd bless us all. :D!

Paul Callus March 21, 2015 at 7:39 AM I love your title, Olive_eloi! Black is beautiful...yet painful...! One day Black will be totally free from prejudice! Congratulations on placing first in this inspiring contest. Hugs // paul Olive Eloisa Guillermo - Fraser March 22, 2015 at 8:39 AM Thanks much PAul.. :)! hugs and hugs.. :)! God bless you always.. :D!

Poet Destroyer A March 20, 2015 at 6:02 PM hello Olive, Congratulations on your awesome win........ Luv ~LINDA~ Olive Eloisa Guillermo - Fraser March 21, 2015 at 2:29 AM Thanks much Lolly LInda for your awesome comment.. :)! God bless us all.. how is being a granny? :D

Bongani Zungu March 20, 2015 at 5:23 PM WOW! well penned, I'm not saying this because I'm black but because you did an excellent job. Olive Eloisa Guillermo - Fraser March 21, 2015 at 2:28 AM Thanks much Bongani.. :) God bless us all.. :) I hope to inspire and let it be known that we should one way or another stop the racism history.

Verlena S. Walker March 19, 2015 at 6:05 PM Olive Eloisa, Congratulations on your 1st place win! Verlena Olive Eloisa Guillermo - Fraser March 20, 2015 at 9:09 AM tHANks Verlena.. :)! Appreciate it.. :)!

Nette Onclaud March 19, 2015 at 3:37 PM spot on and deeply scribed... ang husay naman.. when ka balik sa manila?.. won't be able to go to tugue... maybe soon?... hugs, eloi Olive Eloisa Guillermo - Fraser March 20, 2015 at 8:59 AM Mga April ako balik Nette.. :) weeee masmahusay ka kaya.. :) aha... no other plans aside from tugue? hugs. :)!

Kp Nunez March 18, 2015 at 8:30 PM Wow! Black is beautiful...and so is your write, my dear kabayan! Yes! Blessings for the contest, Olive! Galing talaga ng Pinoy...hehe. Kim :) PS. You may want to check John Wulf's page for some laughs featuring beloved Manila...:) Olive Eloisa Guillermo - Fraser March 20, 2015 at 8:57 AM Thanks Kim. i laugh so much with John Wulf's. :) i like it.. weeeee! mabuhay ka din!! :D yey!

James Fraser March 18, 2015 at 1:18 PM Racism, will it ever go away, sadly I doubt it because there will always be one idiot to raise it's ugly head. You've told this with truth and wisdom Olive. It's wonderfully written, and I love the title, hugs always//James :) :) Olive Eloisa Guillermo - Fraser March 20, 2015 at 8:51 AM Thanks James that is really sad that until this time there are such,, anyways, in case will be treated as like that let it be and just prove them wrong.. be kind as always. hugs too.. :)xxx

Abdelwaheb Dhaou March 18, 2015 at 1:17 PM Well penned pieced launched with a vivid rage against injustice ! I have always had a weakness for committed writing; this one is a real marvel. Bravo Olive Eloisa ! Olive Eloisa Guillermo - Fraser March 19, 2015 at 9:43 AM Thanks much for dropping bby Abdelwahed b Dhaou... :)! I just tried to portray the sad truth of yesterday and still fresh as today~!

Maurice Yvonne March 18, 2015 at 11:45 AM Beautifully written and expressed. Sad that in this day and age we are still dealing with racism. Well done, excellent! Olive Eloisa Guillermo - Fraser March 18, 2015 at 9:18 PM Indeed Maurice it's a sad truth that all of us one way or another we must deal.. :) Thanks much for dropping by and am so glad you are back again with us here. :)! God bless you always.. :)!

Carolyn Devonshire March 17, 2015 at 11:46 AM Dear Eloise, this is such a compelling poem. We do admire the color black in clothing, but people of African ancestry have suffered far too many injustices, specially in the U.S. Just yesterday I saw a documentary on the singing group Peter, Paul and Mary. They actually received death threats for their support of Dr. King. A very touching poem, dear. Wishing you success in Verlena's contest! Love, Carolyn Olive Eloisa Guillermo - Fraser March 17, 2015 at 7:24 PM Indeed, Carolyn.. :) Last night before I pen this poem I refreshed my memory regarding the story.. It is sad and still at this modern times such still happens.. thank you for visiting my page.. :) God bless us always. :)!

Grace Mutindi March 17, 2015 at 8:08 AM Very true Eloisa...black is beautiful, no one should be defined by the colour of their skin. Olive Eloisa Guillermo - Fraser March 17, 2015 at 7:20 PM Yes, Grace.. :) I experienced being teased with my skin color too and I know... Thanks for dropping by Grace.. :)