CONFIRMATION
By Gwen Russell Green
In April evil shot Martin
He may have been spit upon, even in death
But his spirit and message of peace lived on
lieutenants at his side
Lived onto bear witness
The cherry blossoms still bloomed
Time continued to turn and grind forward
Songs were sung
Holidays given
His life made longer in death
In April a Black woman judge emerged
from the crowd
Rose to the occasion
Was chosen to take her Black robes
AND her Black self to the bench
Behind, not in front of it
For a change
Strode with her braided crown
And her ancestor’s dreams
Before America
Stood tall despite slings and arrows
Approached vituperative attacks with calm
Knowing she was ready, over-qualified
As we must be
Fought her way through the fray
With quiet dignity,
Arrived
with April cherry blossoms blooming
To crack 235 years of glass
And watched it shatter
Into raindrops of blessings
Anointing me, her, our daughters, my granddaughters
And AMERICA
WITH PROMISE
See Martin smile!
By Gwen Russell Green
In April evil shot Martin
He may have been spit upon, even in death
But his spirit and message of peace lived on
lieutenants at his side
Lived onto bear witness
The cherry blossoms still bloomed
Time continued to turn and grind forward
Songs were sung
Holidays given
His life made longer in death
In April a Black woman judge emerged
from the crowd
Rose to the occasion
Was chosen to take her Black robes
AND her Black self to the bench
Behind, not in front of it
For a change
Strode with her braided crown
And her ancestor’s dreams
Before America
Stood tall despite slings and arrows
Approached vituperative attacks with calm
Knowing she was ready, over-qualified
As we must be
Fought her way through the fray
With quiet dignity,
Arrived
with April cherry blossoms blooming
To crack 235 years of glass
And watched it shatter
Into raindrops of blessings
Anointing me, her, our daughters, my granddaughters
And AMERICA
WITH PROMISE
See Martin smile!
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