Lewis Leary's Shawl
Lewis crept into Harper's Ferry
at cool dawn's light in '59
with angry John Brown,
pursed keen and unkempt
to bleed over his shawl,
then died for his wife
Mary, grew old and gray
and left that stained shawl
for grandson Langston Hughes,
to inspire him someday
Langston took Grandma's shawl
and took oppression to his heart
to rise up in other words,
"where people suffered
in beautiful language"*
© Goode Guy 2013-02-03
* Langston Hughes
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Langston_Hughes
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lewis_Sheridan_Leary
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Brown_(abolitionist)
Copyright © Goode Guy | Year Posted 2013
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