"Mother dear, may I go downtown
Instead of out to play,
And march the streets of Birmingham
In a Freedom March today?"
"No, baby, no, you may not go,
For the dogs are fierce and wild,
And clubs and hoses, guns and jails
Aren't good for a little child."
"But, mother, I won't be alone.
Other children will go with me,
And march the streets of Birmingham
To make our country free."
"No, baby, no, you may not go,
For I fear those guns will fire.
But you may go to church instead
And sing in the children's choir."
She has combed and brushed her night-dark hair,
And bathed rose petal sweet,
And drawn white gloves on her small brown hands,
And white shoes on her feet.
The mother smiled to know that her child
Was in the sacred place,
But that smile was the last smile
To come upon her face.
For when she heard the explosion,
Her eyes grew wet and wild.
She raced through the streets of Birmingham
Calling for her child.
She clawed through bits of glass and brick,
Then lifted out a shoe.
"O, here's the shoe my baby wore,
But, baby, where are you?"
In my first reading of the poem "Ballad of Birmingham", by Dudley Randall, it sent me on an emotional spiral. A small boy wanted to support his people and attend an non-violent protest to fight for the rights that he rightfully deserve. An innocent gesture was turned into an act of destruction and chaos. Writing this poem, may it be fictional or not, gave its readers a very powerful message and a dose of the tragedies of everyday life. Writing can enact social change, it only takes one person to read this or any piece of writing and gain the longing to make a difference. This poem gave me the motivation and the sincerity to want to change and make the world a better place. Dr. King's "I have a Dream" speech also moved and motivated people to make a difference and fight for freedom. Any and all of our current president Obama's speeches motivates at least one person to fight for change, exactly why he is in office today. Writing is a very powerful tool that can change people's opinions, beliefs, and desires.
