Remembering Battles Fought Not That Long Ago
It's been a little while, been busy and also coming back from a break or two but I'm back now. This was a poem I made for Martin Luther King Day a while ago even if I didn't post it exactly then either. Originally posted this February 2021
Here's a link to a site of quotes I used that helped in making the poem: https://www.keepinspiring.me/martin-luther-king-jr-quotes/
Remembering Battles Fought Not That Long Ago
By: A.X. Bueno
Today is a day of remembrance for a life cut tragically short
The life of a man who set out to make a better world and had messages no one should distort
He was for sure a revolutionary that we should all revere
But it feels like often there are parts of his vision that people just don't want to hear
He was more than just some legendary pacifist with the one speech we've all heard
He was someone who valued peace, forgiveness, love and believed those fighting for what was right shouldn't be deterred
He also strongly opposed the silence and shallow understanding of the good and found it an obstacle absurd
It was a belief of his that you're never too radical if you're fighting what's right
With his more socialist views as well as how he viewed love and equality he was a radical who understood the need to fight
He knew that in the battles for civil rights sacrifices often needed to be made
He was willing to pay whatever price for his vision and was seemingly unafraid
But sadly he was assassinated and that brutally unfair price was paid
Of course since then it feels like a lot of people have forgotten the crux of his message
And that leaves me dismayed
We've whitewashed and diluted those battles fought and won
The not that distant history and his important messages practically being betrayed
Of course he's not the only one selective history has played
There are many others and their battles waged not so long ago from today
The man went to prison and believed the white moderate was disappointing when action needed to be done
He fought hard in his day even if neither of his fists were necessarily swung
He was a man with convictions that have carried us to this day
A day that could have been our parents or grandparents day too let's be clear
Despite it sounding so long ago it was pretty recent in the grand scheme of things
That's something we all need to take to heart and hear
So let us remember Dr. King and all the battles he along with many other people along the way won
And also remember that there is still so much more work to be done