The Road From Montgomery

Are we far from Montgomery?
Have we put segregation in our past?
Have we built a bridge of peace and understanding?
Have we built a spirit that will truly last?

Are we far from Montgomery?
Have the buses equaled out?
Have we really changed the seating order
Of those in Montgomery moving about?

Are we far from Montgomery?
What is the color of those we’ve jailed?
Have we changed the social structure
Against which Montgomery once railed?

Are we far from Montgomery?
Is the racial tension still in the air?
Have we opened doors of opportunity?
Have we truly made things fair?

Are we far from Montgomery?
Have we truly, truly changed?
Have the standards that we use today
Been so drastically rearranged?

Are we far from Montgomery?
Have we made progress toward the goal?
Have the gunshots and tears
Changed the young one’s future roles?

Are we really far from Montgomery?
Have we all done the best we can?
Have the leaders of the ones at risk
Taught the free man to be a man?

**

Is It Time?

When I see another
What do I see?
Do I see someone different?
Or see someone like me?

When I see another
Do I see only their skin?
Or do I look more deeply
At the person within?

When I see another
Do I see what they do
To make life better
For both me and you?

Is it not now time
To truly see each other
Not as someone offensive
But truly as a brother?

Is it not now time
To see others as they are
So very, very different
But still a shining star?

Is it not now time
To put to an end
Our cultural differences
Which we choose to defend?

There was once a man
Who dreamed of
Social non-contention.

Is it not now finally time
For his splendid dream’s
Redemption?

**

Oh Martin!

Oh Martin…
…I have missed you so.
There is so much I want to share.
I know you saw what was happening
But I so wanted you to be there.
We have made so much progress
In every social and political way.
In fact as you know dear Martin
You have many statues and even a day.
There are black mayors of many cities
There are blacks now as heads of state.
There is so much more I wanted to tell you.
I almost could not wait

Oh Martin…
…You would have looked so strong
Standing on the new world stage.
I am so angry that was stolen
By a by-gone culture’s rage.
The schools are all desegregated.
The home run king is now new.
Apartheid died in Johannesburg
And that changed many national views.
There are so many of us now successful
In so many walks of life.
And I think the anger now is gone
For the color of another man’s wife.

Oh Martin…
…You missed so much change in our world.
Fewer now reside in the grip of fear.
But I know in my heart dear Martin
It would not even have happened…
…If you had not been so defiantly here.