It was in the time of Jim Crow 

When 'civil rights' no one could find 

When hearts were filled with segregation 

-And many folks were openly unkind- 

A little brown girl came from the North 

And did in the South for a visit abide 

She stood excitedly by her mother 

-Waiting for her first 'country' bus ride- 

At last, the bus pulled up 

Her mother held her hand tightly 

Into the bus she bounded 

-Seeking a seat with the view sightly- 

Ah!...the first cross seat was empty 

Into it she sat expecting her mother to do the same 

But momma pulled her up and said 'go to the back!' 

-Why?...she cried aloud...why?...but she cried in vain- 

Her mother pushing her towards the rear 

Couldn't take the time to explain the flaws 

To an innocent little girl who knew nothing 

-Of the South...and its rigid laws- 

Suddenly,  from the front a voice spoke up 

It was a sailor with blonde hair and blue eyes 

'If you don't mind', he said very kindly 

-'She can sit on my lap for the rest of the ride'- 

Her mother said 'yes' and let go of her hand 

And the little girl happily sat up front oblivous of resentful looks 

She enjoyed the farm scenes from the bus' window 

-Hardly aware of the stand that the serviceman took- 

Well, they finally arrived at their stop to get off 

And her mother came forward and said 'thanks' 

'It's all right', he said, 'I saw she didn't understand' 

-He remembered...all blood was the same color on the planks- 

Now that little girl has lived many, many years 

Many occurrences in her life she recalls like the tide 

But there is one that stands out...bright and unfading  

-Bravery...displayed at home...on that country bus ride-

Galatians 5:1 

(c) joyce m bell/11/20/2007