For Freedom!

Freedom, The word used to be so powerful It used to cross the bashing oceans in shackles With its hands tied behind its back When it was fed up it used to hang in hairy great oaks With Spanish moss beards Until green leaves got sick, faces turned red and Said amongst themselves its time for a change To put an end to Fall It used to walk the streets of Alabama with books Protruding from nervous armpits In Mississippi it out ran German shepherds And smoking grenades Until it got arrested in Georgia But freedom laughed happily behind bars Freedom didn’t even ask for bail No, it asked for water instead, but still got none Nevertheless freedom was never thirsty It took empty cups and made them half full of faith Freedom tapped its tin cup against iron bars Making a racket all night long Until someone stopped, Listened and heard, Freedom Ring!    

“All Rise!”

And should night’s long curtains break

For a short intermission long enough

For us to see the light of day

Let us not stand selfish in the spotlight of warmth or comfort

But let us shiver remembering all of those who’ve

Shone in darkness to be a light for our ways

Should we be blessed with grace and mercy

To breathe in a fresh new morn

Let us inhale!

Awake no more to look in mirrored eyes

For imperfections or colored reflections

But bravely come to stare in hearts

To see the perfect reflection of life

One United Spirit of America

That shares God’s humanity for Love

That undoubtedly still believes there’s Life & Liberty!

Not just the pursuit of happiness for oneself

But better yet a joy for all

Because our joy comes in the morning

When the sunrises in the east to dawn on us that

We are more than one nation divisible

More than separable

More than for white or for colored fountains

More than English or Spanish directions

More than Stars and Stripes

More Than Tears and Strife

Even more than you or me

But still no less than human

Because we are still

The beacon that sits upon a hill

For the world to see that

United We Fall and United We Stand Up Again!

By Chris L. Wright

11/5/08 12:51AM

“Written on the Eve of History & Change in the making for a Brighter Day!

God Bless America & God Bless Our Rising!