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Karen Dillon Poem
Mamie Till Mobley demanded and open casket,
to let the world see,
the bloated, beaten body of her baby boy,
who was lynched in Mississippi.
His name was Emmett Till,
a 14 year old black boy,
who came from the state of Illinois.
It was 1955, the Jim Crow laws were very much alive.
They said he was flirting with a white woman in a store.
The facts of the case, the jury chose to ignore.
That a child was murdered,
his body thrown in the Tallahacie River,
a guilty verdict they chose not to deliver.
Over 5 days, more that 50,000 people lined up to see,
what had been done to Mamie Till Mobley's baby.
Mamie's message to the world
was that what happens to any of us,
was everyone's business.
She devoted her new life, her new beginnings,
to civil rights,
to public remembrance of how Emmett died.
Copyright © Karen Dillon | Year Posted 2023
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Karen Dillon Poem
Ruby
Ruby Bridges was one of the first Black American pupils
in a 'White' school
after racial segregation was declared unconstitutional.
It was November 14th, 1960 when six year old Ruby sat in school alone,
children and teachers stayed at home.
RUBY......
'My Mother took special care getting me dressed that day,
new White shoes, stiffly starched White dress
and a White ribbon in my hair'
She told me:
'there may be a lot of people outside school today,
but there's no need to be afraid,
i'll be with you all the way'.
Four federal US Marshal's came to the door to drive us to school.
As we got in the car my Mother said:
'Ruby, I want you to behave yourself today and do what the Marshals say'.
As the Marshals extracted me from the Cavalcade
a jangle of jeering shrieks rose from the barricade:
2-4-6-8 we don't want to integrate, sang the protestors
I didn't know what these words meant
After school, I taught a friend this chant
I guess when I heard the tirade
that we had stumbled on the Mardi Gras parade
THEN.....
The Whites of my eyes shone
like those of a frightened Fawn
as a protester held a coffin carrying a little Black doll.
ON LOOKER:
As the sun burns away haze from the Mississippi River
large crowds began to gather.
White Women in Toreador pants
shouting hateful chants
at the small Black girl in a starched White dress
gripping her Mothers hand
Surrounded by racial turmoil
yet courageous and standing tall
Ruby is an inspiration to us all.
Copyright © Karen Dillon | Year Posted 2023
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Karen Dillon Poem
Loving Day
When Richard and Mildred fell in love,
their fate was decided by a judge.
For he was white and she was black,
their marriage broke Virginia's Integrity Act.
Forced to move to Washington DC,
they opposed the ruling in 1963.
In 1967, a supreme court ruled that Richard and Mildred Loving could live together,
as an interracial married couple in their own state of Virginia,
and declared that the law prohibiting this was unconstitutional.
June 12 is National 'Loving Day', when many Americans continue to celebrate the freedom to marry a person of another race.
Festivals, barbecues, parties are held,
to show that love knows no bound.
Copyright © Karen Dillon | Year Posted 2023
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Karen Dillon Poem
The Man of Her Dreams
I wonder what she means when she says:
'I've met the man of my dreams'.
Is she one swipe away from Groundhog day?
or has she met a keeper,
someone who won't harm or mistreat her.
Does he talk about the future, next week, next month,
Or does he wince when she suggests getting some sun?
Does he really want to know how she is feeling,or does he find displays of emotion, unappealing?
Does he make a real effort, does he buy her random flowers, send her
lovely texts?
Does he see her as a complete person,
not body parts, or a pretty face?
Does he turn into a basket case, when she has bad days?
Copyright © Karen Dillon | Year Posted 2023
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Karen Dillon Poem
Hanging
Drawing
Quartering
no sense
Void of reason
Somewhere along the road we all must take
Goodness will survive
or
evil may wake
Copyright © Karen Dillon | Year Posted 2023
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