This Poem was Submitted By: Latorial D. Faison On Date: 2005-01-17 16:59:53 . . . Click Here To Mail this Poem to a Friend!To Listen to Music While Reading this Poem, just Click Here!
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I Remember You Dr. King I remember you as Martin King
You fought to show a segregated world
What peace and unity could bring.
I remember you as Brother Martin
You fed us food for thought
When a dreadful past left us starving.
I remember you as Reverend King
You broke down barriers of ignorance
And gave us songs of hope to sing.
I remember you as Leader of Freedom's fight
Your preaching and nonviolent teaching
Brought us prayerfully proud into a glorious light.
I remember you as the Dynamic Drum Major
Who marched on Washington and from Selma
That we, as a people, might reap the fruit of our labor.
I remember you as Martin Luther King, Jr.
You salvaged souls of slavery's past
And told us that God would grant "freedom at last."
I remember you as the man with a Dream
You endeavored to show a world of hate
What brotherly love could really mean.
I salute you Dr. Martin Luther King
For living and dying to set a people free
And for leaving us the legacy of a beautiful Dream. |
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Copyright © January 2005 Latorial D. Faison
Additional Notes:
In rememberance and honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. this holiday.
This Poem was Critiqued By: Joanne M Uppendahl On Date: 2005-02-06 18:22:59
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 10.00000
Latorial:
Please forgive this late critique. This poem definitely deserves a place of
honor among your poems. Because of its subject and because of the "Dream"
will not die for as long as those who remember the vision of Dr. King, Jr.,
as you do in this poem keep writing, speaking and remembering. It makes me
extremely sad, for though I'm not African American, "Martin" was speaking
for me, too and his loss saddened me as much as the tragic loss of another
great dreamer, JFK. I didn't think I had any more tears to shed by the end
of his funeral which I watched on television in April of 1968. I think that
most Americans alive during that time will remember what they were doing.
"I remember you as the man with a Dream
You endeavored to show a world of hate
What brotherly love could really mean."
My daughter was less than a year old, my son was two. My best friend's divorce
became final that day. I was a college student, mother, wife and someone who
believed in equality. I was shaken by his parents' grief, especially his mother's,
little knowing that I would outlive my son, under very different circumstances.
"I salute you Dr. Martin Luther King
For living and dying to set a people free
And for leaving us the legacy of a beautiful Dream."
It was tragic when his bother was killed -- but most shocking when his mother
Alberta Williams King, was shot and killed as she sat at the organ in Ebenezer
Baptist Church. Yet his father, Rev. Martin Luther King, Sr., said at her funeral,
“I cannot hate any man.” This example of nonviolence, the legacy of this amazing
family, is indelible. Your poem rightly tributes this great man, whose dream must
become reality if our children and their children are to grow up in a world which
honors peace and unity.
Thank you for this timely reminder and the message cannot be heard often enough --
we must remember so that we can carry on the Dream.
Brava -- excellent in every way.
My best always,
Joanne
This Poem was Critiqued By: Kelly Denise LaBeff On Date: 2005-02-02 23:31:16
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 9.97500
Indeed, Dr. Martin Luther King did leave behind a legacy of a beautiful dream - one that has came true, Thank God! You gave him all the perfect titles: Martin King, Brother Martin, Reverend King, Leader of Freedom's fight, Dynamic Drum Major, Martin Luther King, Jr., the man with a Dream: Dr. Martin Luther King! I am so proud, so glad that he continued that which Abraham Lincoln started, made happen and dreamed of himself-freeing the slaves brought here from Africa that were bought from their own nation's [Africa] slaveowners! I am so glad nonviolence and freedom came to those who were oppressed from the very beginning of time for each of their lives. It's sad, in a land across the sea where their seed was given birth they never free ...until God had a dream for them and brought them here where men like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. also had a dream ..empowered by God! Thank God they came to America where DREAMS come true! Your verse is written with excellence and is of great poetic nature, rhythm, language...all aspects are lively with splendor! Thanks for sharing in remembrance and honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. this holiday month and always!
Kelly
This Poem was Critiqued By: Dellena Rovito On Date: 2005-01-25 17:12:51
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 9.80000
Latorial,
Very nice heartfelt writing. Perfect/one of your BEST!
You covered his greatness well.....
Thank God we have and have had some remarkable leaders.
You told of him with honor.
He should be so proud of you.
dellena
This Poem was Critiqued By: Joanne Duval Morgan On Date: 2005-01-23 03:30:41
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 10.00000
Latorial, just have to comment. I lived through the legecy of Mr. King, I applaud his tranquility in a time of hatred and scorn, I laud his strength to give people hope, and the irony he set women free, all women, black and white, allowing them to believe.
He was and always will be a fine, fine man, who stands with the strengths of all great leaders, who had principle, and was willing to face a Nation and say Free at last, Free at last. We'll never change the bigotory that still prevails in the thoughts of some, but many of us knew him as a right person, sent during a time of adversity, he free us to think and to stand by beliefs. I admired him, men of peace are few and far between, but God sent him and he carried the banner proudly, and yes hatred saw him assisnated, all of us that believe in him felt that bullet, but the assasin didn't dim his words, it just proved the strength of a man, a humble man to carry a message and show by example.
It's a wonderful rememberance to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, may he rest in God's hands, and as he look down on the throngs of believers he smiles and know he carried out a very important mission in the endevor of Human equality, and so he is adfmired and remembered, the stance, the marches, his speaking so well with the spirit of belief. He never judged, he accepted the strengths and weakness, but of all he gave hope, to a race of people forced to live under the heels of intolotable men, who just never accepted that all men/women are equal, He helped lead many to understanding, that why this is such a poignant message of rememberance. In years to come young people will come to know of his cause and admire a beautiful man.
Lovely tribute, on and close to a anniversary date, but his spirit is his strength and how he caused people to understand and believe in equality.
Best wishes and a fitting tribute, loved reading it, for he contained nothing but the truth.
Best wishes always...Jo (You know love really makes the world go round, and men as Rev King proved it!!!!)
This Poem was Critiqued By: Wanda S. Thibodeaux On Date: 2005-01-19 23:33:32
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 10.00000
Dear Latorial,
This breathes with sincerity. It is just a grand tribute to the man you honor and he is
most deserving. I remember also his accomplishments and having lived in Alabama all my youth,
It was peace he prayed for in Birmingham and Selma and in every town he traveled to. He
was God's weapon and he gave himself for the good of all people. His message was not just
for the black but all people, a universal prayer given to him word for word so that he might
preach peace and unity, and he did.
Had you not written but only one verse in this piece, "I remember you as Brother Martin-
You fed us food for thought-When a dreadful past left us starving", would have sufficed for
a beautiful tribute by itself. All verses are outstanding but this particular one really
speaks to me and is undeniably beautiful.
I was eleven and living near Montgomery when Rosa Parks first became known. I was at the
same bus station almost every Saturday because my mother had to take the bus to go shopping
for material, threads, etc. since it was not available in the little town we lived in. She
would take me with her. I had not even realized that Rosa Parks rode our bus until that
situation came up with her refusing to give up her seat. We were not on the bus that day.
My mother taught against prejudice and injustice. We played with black children and some
of our most treasured older people in the country neighborhood were black ladies. We loved
them all. I have written about several myself. My mother had quilting parties and
there were two black ladies that came with all the others. I was introduced to racism in
1955 also. My family cried with shame when the governor of our state took the stand he did.
I have always felt a kinship with Rosa Parks because she was a strong woman and I am too.
I have lived thru certain things as she did that would test a weaker woman and I have survived.
I was happy to see them honor her at the White House not too long ago. Don't ask me to
remember exactly when, I think my brain cells that control memory are slowing dying...ha!
Well, I've said enough, I think...
This is a lovely piece and one you can be proud of.
Best always,
Wanda
This Poem was Critiqued By: arnie s WACHMAN On Date: 2005-01-18 17:48:44
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 9.66667
Not a holiday in Canada, although I wish we had a similar person of such persuasion.
You did well here going from him just being Martin to Dr. Martin. You did not mention his
Nobel Prize which is significant.
I remember you as the Dynamic Drum Major
Who marched on Washington and from Selma................I have trouble with this line. I am not
sure of the logistics here or how it happened.
Would it not sound better, "Who came from Selma to
March on our Capitol. Just a thought.
That we, as a people, might reap the fruit of our labor.
Well done.And thank you for this poem.
This Poem was Critiqued By: Claire H. Currier On Date: 2005-01-18 04:27:57
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 10.00000
Beautifully written poet...from the depth of your heart .........the husband, father, friend, the leader to set men free, the Reverend who not only wanted to save your life but your soul as well, the man with a dream to be shared with those he not only met in his journey through this life but in his own personal dreams for a better life for all.......the words float as one reads my friend, the images you have created are bright and clear, the rhyme is superb, thank you for honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., in this manner and for sharing it with us........be safe, God Bless, Claire
This Poem was Critiqued By: Turner Lee Williams On Date: 2005-01-17 18:40:15
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 9.90000
Latorial--I admire the way you presented this story/tribute in a sober manner.
By simply stating a broad sequence of facts/events, albeit metaphorically, you've
avoided being pushy or preachy and still manage to paint a vivid/unbiased picture
of what Dr. King lived and died for. His epiphany of non-violence and equality for
all has never been more poeticized than presented by your post. Thanks for refreshing
our memory in such a poignant way. TLW
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