LiveJournal Idol 9: Topic 4 : "Nobody can ride your back if your back's not bent." MLK Jr.

[eeyore_grrl]

Martin Luther King, Jr said “Nobody can ride your back if your back’s not bent.” Here are two takes on this quote:


                             Weight		

the history of my country is riddled in blood and lies
	of telling people that they are less than
	of stealing lands and war that pitted brother against brother

the history of my country still lives in racism, in the deaths of young men and women
	in our inner-cities, poverty encasing them
		convincing them that drugs and violence are the easy way out

i spent ten years teaching teens in jail or rehab
	(god, their lives were often better as they had safety and meals)
	so many young black men and women, young hispanic men and women

i bend under the weight of fear
	i cannot do enough to save these children
	these children who believe that they are standing tall

fight the shackles, they may not be on your wrists, but they are there
	they are what makes hatred still burn
		caustic words come from your throat

fight the shackles, that make you believe that you are less than
		       that make you believe that you are anything other than 
unstoppable
stand up strong and able
	do not give in to society’s fear 
	let us move forward hand in hand







----
                        Atlas		
	
stand up atlas
stand up straight and strong
you buckle under the weight of earth 
	as it
	        as we
		        ride on your shoulders
neck bent, shoulders strong and tired
	i can’t imagine the misery, the tired

i can’t imagine

stand up atlas
you stay there as punishment, but you need only stand
drop the bundle
	drop the weight
		worry about yourself
			your penance is paid

This was written for LiveJournal Idol 9, http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/723579.html.


Voting link will be updated here later. VOTE HERE; TRIBE 3 http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/725218.html

Hear and see me read it by simply clicking here:

"just like that" (Watch on YouTube)

Comments

[eska818.livejournal.com]

I love that you took the time to record a reading of these. I also love your imagery and your way with words. :)

[eeyore-grrl.livejournal.com]

Thanks. I almost always do a recording with the poetry. I feel that poetry should be read AND heard. I do like imagery, but to be honest I mostly stole this week's imagery from the topics, the shackles of slavery and Atlas of Greek mythology.

Thank you.

[kagomeshuko.livejournal.com]

This entry made me think of the song "Weight of the World" by Larry Norman.

[eeyore-grrl.livejournal.com]

I'm not familiar with the song. WIll have to go look it up.

[kagomeshuko.livejournal.com]

Definitely! It's a good song! I first learned of the song from a band called "Lost And Found."

[roina-arwen.livejournal.com]

Love these! Well done!

I also waxed poetic this week, as did several others. Must be something in the air. :)

[eeyore-grrl.livejournal.com]

I saw. And I LOVE seeing more poetry out there. Yay!

[halfshellvenus.livejournal.com]

One of the hardest things to do is to make people who have been overlooked or abused believe that they deserve better-- that better is not money and prestige, but a future with real choices.

[beautyofgrey.livejournal.com]

I love listening to your readings. And I like the juxtaposition here of the story of Atlas with the continued struggle against racism.

[whipchick.livejournal.com]

You might like some of the work of folk singer Martyn Joseph - in particular, he has a wonderful song about Paul Robeson and the uprising of the Welsh miners.

[cheshire23.livejournal.com]

I really liked the way you ended the second poem. Great image.

[eternal-ot.livejournal.com]

Ah! this is amazing..you did a dual interpretation..kudos! I loved the second one more..:)

[kajel.livejournal.com]

Well done!