Union Station and Kings

Welcome to Friday Fictioneers.  Thanks Rochelle for Hosting.  All links can be found here.

100 words.

 

Copyright - Dawn M. Miller

There were black crowds in Washington white.

Can we all get along?

In the red hills of Georgia

The dream,

Lost in a valley,

In the dark shadows of poverty.

 

The fear and name calling,

The race baiting and packaged beliefs,

Have divided us by party lines and railroad tracks.

The black reverend came a long way

To stand on the steps,

To face the potential violence.

 

Shoulder to shoulder,

Fifty years ago it was a sea of men, women and children.

A shot rang out in the Memphis sky

The man in black

Free,

Free

Free at last.

 

 

36 thoughts on “Union Station and Kings

  1. Thank you for bringing us around to what is happening today. I am so far away, the president’s address will be to late in the morning for me to see live, but thanks for bringing this memory to our attention.

  2. Dear Tom,

    First, kudos for getting from Union Station in DC to the mall. I always appreciate a good jump out of the box. Masterful use of color, ie, black, white and red in the first verse.

    “the black reverend had come….” Might be stronger with “…reverend came a long way” or maybe “traveled a great distance…”

    In the third verse I think could be stronger without the passive voice…”it was a sea of people…” which also borders on cliche, as is “shot rang out”.

    Overall, it’s a good piece. You set the tone and the atmosphere well. I remember those days. In even more recent years I had the opportunity to visit Selma and go over the famous bridge. There’s a heavy tinge of history about that place.

    Shalom,

    Rochelle

    1. Rochelle
      A shot rang out is from the U2 song Pride. The red hills are from MLK’s speech. There is nothing I can say about the sea of people…cliche yes but I am not sure if I would change that…As far as he came along way I think I can change that and I thought about doing just that before you suggested it. I more than likely will change it, not 100 percent sure yet. It was the black hat in the case among all the white hats that got me to the mall. Thanks for your honesty and for stopping in. It is always a pleasure seeing you on my blog.
      Tom

        1. I was using known lines and buzz words on purpose, man in black, the red hills of Georgia, the dream, free at last, the shot rang out (U2 song) can we all get along (Rodney King) etc. etc. …still nothing to say about the sea of people line. Perhaps I went a little overboard with known lines and cliches…

          1. Army by itself would work but then I would have to make up a couple words…..hmm something to think about.

          2. I think by trying to use lines that were from MLK speech as well as lines from songs about him and other lines Like “can we all get along?” from Rodney King I slipped into a cliche or two.

            Tom

  3. Tom P!!!! Where the hell you been man??? Have missed you.

    This was great. Very nice take on the picture. Different, but you do different well. Glad to see you back.

  4. Great idea to bring the 50th anniversary of the March to this week’s prompt … I’m sure many marchers came through Union Station (I only see buses on the coverage of the March, tho). I really liked your poem of Dr. King and the March.

  5. Dear Tom,

    Your poem this week was heartfelt, imaginative and on point. Do you suppose if humans were colorblind, we’d find something else to fixate on and kill each other over?

    Curly hair? Dimples? Regional accents.

    Good work.

    Aloha,

    Doug

    1. If we were colorblind we would still see black and white, we might be worse. If we were blind to the color of skin we would be prejudice over height, class, weight etc. etc… Ohhh we already are. And if we were blind we would be prejudice by smell and feel. I am not sure if there is much hope for the human race unless aliens come for us then we might look past class and skin but only because we would have a new enemy to hate. And doesn’t everyone have something against dimples? Thanks for the fine compliments on an OK Poem.

      Tom

    1. Night,
      Thank you. The truth is disturbing and if you take the time to look around at the state the world is in it is outright depressing.

      Tom

  6. Tom, great to have you back… I always missed your originallity… this was a real strong piece, and so well timed. I hope we have come further on seeing humans instead of colors, but it seems we still focus on differences and not on the similarities….

    1. Bjorn,
      I feel the same way about you my friend. Your originality sets you apart from the crowd. Thanks for the comments and your time.

      Tom

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