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Times Have Changed
(Tribute to President Barack H. Obama, 44th
President of The United States)
By: Diane M. Lockett
It was a time for change
A time to rearrange
The historic slate
Impact the fate
of a young black man.
Anyone can attest to the racial unrest.
No one ever thought this black baby boy
Would make many proud... overcome with joy.
This black young man
of mixed ancestry
Believed that he could
Change the clock of history
Both young and old united with a goal
Worked with heart and soul
Together made a difference without reference
To color of face in a presidential race.
To unite the country and the world
What's important are the issues and the character within
A spirit that is pure... a heart not made of tin
With love of people, family and friend,
Not cold, nor biased, bitter with hatred
America yearned for change.
Time to rearrange Black history
In a country founded on hypocrisy,
So-called liberty and justice for powers that be.
In a country built on slavery
Where Black children were limited
In what they could be.
It was time for all to be free.
To win, not to lose!
To pick and to choose
Freely…to stand up and be tall
With liberty and justice for all!
It was time for a change! Time to rearrange
The wrongs that were right for the white
And blue-eyed strong and those who went along
In the know with Jim Crow.
In a country where a people strategically jailed
Were programmed to fail.
In a country where economics was the key
To a white-washed history.
Now comes a man
Who proves that united we can
Make a difference and win,
Overturn the tables…united we are able
To turn things around
Like churning sour milk into sweet butter,
The world awaits…with faith, hope and utterances…
Turning things around…for we have found…
That…
We, as mortals,
Must open the portals
Of our mind
And find
The tie that binds
All mankind.
____________________________
You People!
By: Diane M. Lockett
I am Liberty and Justice for all
Who fall in categories bright, lily-white,
Lead-you-to-the-light, out-of-sight,
Day or night, I am right…
‘Cause I know it, show it, throw it all together…
And you people, in the steeple
With your happy, snappy dance
And that nappy hair,
Can’t get nowhere
‘Cause here I am!…
My bell tolling, controlling…
All your moves and grooves…
Creating wrinkles of waves
In the ocean of life…of you people
Yes, I am Liberty and Justice for all…
Who can and will stand tall.
I lie wait like a snake…
And eradicate the slates
of you people.
And I, Liberty and Justice, am sly.
I laugh as you try to fight my laws
With all your might…
While I take a bite
Out of your hearts and minds,
Torching flesh…
You will find your kind
Twisting and writhing in suffering
And pain…great disdain…
As I manipulate, maneuver
Storms of rain to drown, drag you down…
Lower than the ground!
You act surprised after hearing my lies.
Don’t you realize that you are hypnotized
Into believing me?
You see, I try to control even your soul!
In fact, it is I who control
The hole in your soul!
While you flash your flags of resentment,
I use my wealth to afflict your health!
I do not jest when I create the stress
That sends a surging fire
To raise your pressure higher.
I pull the strings, hold the rings…
you people jump through!
And what can you people do
But stand by, sigh, cry, lie, and die un-unified!
Surely, you suffer from hallucinations
When you people deem yourself due reparations
You beg for more opportunities…
Doors to walk through…to be free…
You long for change…but I rearrange
rules like schools of thought
that keep you in order!
I, Liberty and Justice, create rules
That scatter you like raindrops
While you wonder what’s the matter.
you people stand dumbfounded,
astounded, surrounded
by the enemy, the tyranny of Justice,
The inception of deception.
You People wait with open arms at the gate
Seeking a reception,
with conception
of the idea of integration…
in housing, education,
deployment of employment opportunities
But I, Liberty and Justice,
I freeze your salaries…
And with a diplomatic ax
I tax your every dollar
While you holler: “No fair!”
I leave you all thumbs
Comfortable with crumbs
As you struggle like Buckwheat
Eating pig feet and hog meat, in defeat,
Hop-to-shop, be neat
As you look good in your slum-hood!
You think it’s your duty
To peer in the mirror
at your so-called black beauty…
While I can-n-n a tan-n-n
Your black-born girls…
Their false tresses, curls,
Black women flaunt nails.
While I, Liberty and Justice,
I tilt the scales
So you will fail…
As You People cry out,
“No fair! You must share!”
But beware!…Can’t you see?
Humph! I am Liberty!…
And Justice…for us!
Just us!
And you people…
are washed up!…finished!…
…through people!
After all is said and done,
if you don’t like how things are run,
Get out and vote your people in.
You’ll change the system…(Humph!)
If you win!
(Voice from beyond):
“Can’t we all just get along?”
To see more of
Diane's work, visit her website:
http://www.dianelockett.com
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