Monday, January 17, 2011

Warm Summer Rain

Eleven hooded men
Eerie in the glow of torches
Within their circle
A young black man kneels
Arms bound behind him
His bloody face a mask of terror
His grandfather, beside him
Wearing the face of Jesus
As he passively awaits his fate
The dripping southern night
About to snatch another bit
Of our humanity
Whipping now done
Twin nooses await
Warm summer rain
Tears of those
Who have gone before them


.MLK Martin Luther King
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50 comments:

  1. AnonymousJanuary 17, 2011 at 5:44 AM

    I immediately thought of this song sung by Billie Holiday, "Strange Fruit"..

    Wonderful poem!!

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  2. SarahJanuary 17, 2011 at 5:48 AM

    Wow, this definitely gave me the chills. .....

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  3. NatJanuary 17, 2011 at 6:04 AM

    Pat, this is a very powerful piece. Sent quite a chill down my spine!

    PS I tagged you in a post on 13th Jan....might not be your sort of thing though, in which case just ignore it :-)

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  4. Brian's Home BlogJanuary 17, 2011 at 6:40 AM

    That gave me goose bumps!

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  5. AnonymousJanuary 17, 2011 at 6:59 AM

    Wow. What a poignant poem on such an important day. It was a gut wrenching read, but we can't shy away from such a horrible, troubled, and violent past. - G

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  6. Oilfield TrashJanuary 17, 2011 at 7:22 AM

    Great poem.

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  7. UnknownJanuary 17, 2011 at 7:51 AM

    A touching poem Pat.
    Have a great week.
    Costas

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  8. Bossy BettyJanuary 17, 2011 at 8:36 AM

    Powerful stuff, my friend.

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  9. Ren- Lady Of The ArtsJanuary 17, 2011 at 9:10 AM

    Sad- appropriate for today but sad. Have you read Toni Morrison's novels? I have read most of them.

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  10. RebeccaJanuary 17, 2011 at 9:13 AM

    very powerful and very sad to know that this kind of thing happened and is still happening. gave me chills

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  11. Pat TillettJanuary 17, 2011 at 9:52 AM

    Lynne - thanks Lynne! Wow! You do have some broad musical tastes...

    Sarah - Thanks! Me too...

    Nat - Thanks Nat! The things that went on... I've been to your blog today and saw it! It will take me some time, but I'll do it...

    Brian - thanks Brian!

    Georgina - It's an amazing and terrible subject, that's for sure. My family was on both sides of the equation (unfortunately)

    Oilfield Trash - Thanks so much!

    Naturedigital - thanks Costas! You have a great week also.

    Bossy Betty - Thanks so much! One of my girls recently took a college US History class. I was helping her with it. She got an "A" and I got inspired...

    Ren - Very sad! I have read a couple of them. Pretty powerful. Her personal story is pretty amazing also...

    becca - I know! It's so damn sad.

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  12. Alex J. CavanaughJanuary 17, 2011 at 10:05 AM

    That is really moving. And sad.

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  13. TS HendrikJanuary 17, 2011 at 11:35 AM

    Wow, that's powerful. Hits you right in the gut. Great piece Pat.

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  14. pennyJanuary 17, 2011 at 12:23 PM

    A sad but true commentary about our history.. lest we forget.

    Deep, dark and well said, Pat.

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  15. Martha ZJanuary 17, 2011 at 12:59 PM

    He weeps for the "Christians" who did not understand his message.
    Thank you for a moving post.

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  16. Full-On-ForwardJanuary 17, 2011 at 1:46 PM

    Pat--Once again- before I read this I had a post by Buddy Guy--called Skin Deep!

    We are definitely connected somehow!

    BEAUTIFUL and POWERFUL work my FRIEND!!!!

    JOhn

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  17. JamesJanuary 17, 2011 at 1:46 PM

    Interesting poem. I've often wondered what it would have been like to live in certain places during those days. I was very fortunate to be born when and where I was. I think this country has come a long way but also gone down hill in other aspects.

    Regarding civil rights,tolerance and MLK's dream this counrty has done a great job in my opinion.
    In my experience the only color barriers and limits these days are self inflicted.

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  18. UnknownJanuary 17, 2011 at 2:17 PM

    What a fitting poem for Martin Luther King day! It makes me angry every time I hear of those instances.
    CD

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  19. Lynda R Young as Elle CardyJanuary 17, 2011 at 3:01 PM

    poingant poem. Beautiful and chilling.

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  20. MarleneJanuary 17, 2011 at 3:59 PM

    Where was that photo taken? Interesting!

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  21. Jhon BakerJanuary 17, 2011 at 4:02 PM

    Chilling, excellent work.

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  22. ChuckJanuary 17, 2011 at 4:14 PM

    Well done Pat...nothing else needs said.

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  23. Pat TillettJanuary 17, 2011 at 4:54 PM

    Alex - thanks Alex! bad times, that's for sure...

    Tim - Thank's Tim, I'm glad you liked it.

    Pam - thanks! I hope we never forget.

    Martha - My Pleasure Pam. Lot's of folks didn't and don't get it!

    John - thanks John! I'll be over to check it out..

    James - Out here in OC, we don't see or hear much about it. I'm from kentucky and there are still bad feelings in a lot of folks on both sides of the fence there.

    Clarissa - thanks Clarissa! It does the same thing to me.

    Lynda - thanks so much. I was hoping it would come across like that.

    Marlene - It's from the Federal Building Memorial in Oklahoma City.

    Jhon - thanks so much for the nice words Jhon.

    Chuck - thanks Chuck!

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  24. UnknownJanuary 17, 2011 at 5:58 PM

    The speaker has a gentle voice, even though he relates a tragic and heneous event. It makes it even more poignant.
    Rosemary

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  25. baygirl32January 17, 2011 at 6:16 PM

    WOW! I am speechless

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  26. Pat TillettJanuary 17, 2011 at 7:23 PM

    Rosemary - thanks so much! I appreciate the nice words.

    baygirl - I take that as a major compliment! Thanks...

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  27. Rek SeshJanuary 17, 2011 at 9:00 PM

    A piece of poetry is truly awesome when it evokes images....and I could see the story unfold with each of your line...
    It is sad that discrimination exists even today, everywhere, here it is caste based(racially similar yet fractioned)....just have to insert another identity in place of the black man...
    My ancestors followed subtle ways to put down "inferiors" being non violent upper castes but that hits/hurts more in my opinion.

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  28. CopyboyJanuary 17, 2011 at 9:30 PM

    Wow! Truly powerful and poignant. BTW...thanks so much for adding me to your blog!!!!! I owe you big time.

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  29. Pat TillettJanuary 17, 2011 at 9:40 PM

    Rek - thanks so much for the nice words! You are right these sad things are almost everywhere...

    Jesse - thanks so much Jesse! You don't owe me nuttin'. I like the idea you came up with...

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  30. PearlJanuary 18, 2011 at 8:50 AM

    Dark! Gave me goosebumps...

    Pearl

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  31. AnonymousJanuary 18, 2011 at 3:37 PM

    An emotionally powerful poem!

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  32. tapirgalJanuary 18, 2011 at 4:03 PM

    Pat, that's a unique take on the photo. Nice. It reminded me of a wonderful and scary movie I saw recently, a true story about black teenagers who were on their (black) school's debate team, had to actually go through a lynching on the way to their debate . . . ended up debating the white kids at Harvard and won the debate. Amazing movie that should not be missed. When I looked back through my photos of the day I spent at Harvard a few years ago, I realized that the building I took photos of was the scene of the debate. Ah, yes: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Great_Debaters.

    Thanks for the reminder of an uplifting movie in spite of the horrifying subject matter.

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  33. Alice in WonderlandJanuary 18, 2011 at 4:42 PM

    WOW! What else can I say? I loved this, even though the subject gave me goosebumps too!

    Love the statue, you captured it very well!
    You never fail to totally amaze me.
    Big hugs.

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  34. Pat TillettJanuary 18, 2011 at 8:35 PM

    Pearl - Thanks Pearl!

    Ann - Thanks so much!

    tapirgal - Somebody told me about that movie and said I needed to see it. thanks!

    Alice = thanks so much! I appreciate the nice words.

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  35. Entre NousJanuary 19, 2011 at 12:55 PM

    What an marvelously tragic poem. I got chills thinking about my friends and their families who had been born to slaves.

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  36. Pat TillettJanuary 19, 2011 at 3:30 PM

    Entre Nous - Wow! I'm glad you "felt" it! My family was on both sides of the fence on this subject. The things that went on...

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  37. Betty ManousosJanuary 20, 2011 at 12:46 AM

    What a wonderful piece, Pat!
    Great photo you paired with it, too.

    Thanks so much for sharing. :)
    Betty

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  38. Pat TillettJanuary 20, 2011 at 12:04 PM

    Betty - Thanks so much!

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  39. Anthony J. LangfordJanuary 21, 2011 at 10:31 PM

    Another very good piece.

    Great work Patty.

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  40. Pat TillettJanuary 22, 2011 at 1:36 AM

    Anthony - thanks so much! I appreciate it.

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  41. AnonymousJanuary 23, 2011 at 4:05 AM

    This is a wonderful poem, and very provoking too!

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  42. Pat TillettJanuary 23, 2011 at 11:08 AM

    Icy BC - Thanks so much! Not a good time in our history...

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  43. TexWisGirlJanuary 23, 2011 at 4:11 PM

    Wow. This is so sad, yet beautiful. Thank you for this reminder of not so much how far we've come but how far we still need to go to wipe these stains from our American lives.

    Thanks for finding my blog. I really appreciate you following! I'm always so flattered when someone I think of as a "rock star" follows me. I've seen your name around Blogland, and I know I stopped here at least once as I remember Mr. Bridges on the sidebar! :) Will enjoy getting to know you. Based on this poem, you have a very deep soul. God bless!

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  44. Pat TillettJanuary 23, 2011 at 4:42 PM

    texwisgirl - Thanks! If I was a rock star, I’d have one of my groupies write this for me!
    Really, thanks so much for the nice words, you are too kind.
    Also, thanks for the comment about this post.

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  45. Living In Williamsburg VirginiaJanuary 23, 2011 at 6:42 PM

    Can't decide which is more moving, the poem or the photo; perhaps, it is the combination.

    Excellent post.

    Darryl and Ruth : )

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  46. Pat TillettJanuary 23, 2011 at 9:38 PM

    D&R - thanks! I'll take that as a double compliment...

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  47. FranciscaJanuary 25, 2011 at 4:25 AM

    Ouch, Pat. You may want to sign this Avaaz petition: https://secure.avaaz.org/en/stop_corrective_rape/ I did.

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  48. Pat TillettJanuary 25, 2011 at 8:43 AM

    Francisca - I'll check that out!

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  49. Ellen BrickleyFebruary 19, 2011 at 12:25 AM

    Thanks for posting this, Pat. I loved the line 'the dripping southern night' - it just conjured up humidity and summer rain so well.

    It is very similar in mood to Strange Fruit - it has that same sense of horror.

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  50. Pat TillettFebruary 19, 2011 at 1:25 AM

    Ellen - My pleasure Ellen. Similar in subject matter only. I won't flatter myself any further than that. The concept of "Strange Fruit" was pure genius.

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