It's a place I know,
my feet familiar
with each timber plank
that deck the way,
the smooth ones
and the ones buckled
and raised ready
to trip an old man's foot.
I know the name
of every boat moored
along its length,
the repertoire of sounds
played by the tides
and restless swells,
its intimate whispers.
It could be any place
but for me
it's here in the solemn quiet
of a late evening
on the end of the pier,
when the world
returns to an order,
gathers in the strewn pieces
of itself like scattered toys
on a playroom floor
and puts them back
into a labeled drawer.
The time when hurry settles
and strung nerves
are loosened
and soothed by sleep.
For a moment
the world fits neatly here,
snug in this small pocket
of calm on the end
of Ferguson Pier.
In the distance, city lights
float on a dreaming bay
as the tide silently ticks
the evening and me
away.
Sorrow are the memories we now all share
Understanding we want to have peace with you
Forseeing that there would be such a spark
Fighting for that love and all it can do
Emotions of anger and fear fill our hearts
Racism was well on its way to being a thing of the past
Inside we have curled up or thrown punches
Nightmares on God's soil are not unsurpassed
Grieving all the lives lost so fast
Oh Ferguson.
Simply kindling for a bonfire
blackened white smoke
hate marinating into flame
hope dining on what remains
what happened to your soul
what happened to your soul
hope dining on what remains
hate marinating into flame
blackened white smoke
kindling for a bonfire
Oh Ferguson.
(This is a true story)
A man committed murder in 1991 and again in 1993.
He was evil and he lived less than one mile from me.
He beat his wife to death with a bat and decapitated his friend.
He showed no mercy when he brought their lives to an end.
For over two years, he kept his wife's corpse hid.
He was caught when he killed a second time and his neighbors were shocked
because of what he did.
He constantly beat his mother and his grandma and that was wrong.
Now he's doing life in prison and that's where he belongs.
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