Originally published on Roses of Prose blog.
I have refrained from posting political messages here, so I hope you allow this one. I was lucky to draw the Martin Luther King weekend for my first 2016 post. I wrote this poem in 2011, have read it on NPR and at many local forums. I want to share it with all the Roses and our readers.
STONE OF HOPE, 2011
Granite statue gazes outward,
seeks proof the dream
continues
I have a dream
looks for footprints
on the path to freedom
that one day on the red hills of Georgia
laments ridicule of a president
with the audacity to dream
the sons of former slaves
sees a country
broken by religious hatred
and the sons of former slave owners
hears uncivil discord not
peaceful civil disobedience
will be able to sit down together
wonders what happened
to embracing differences
at the table of brotherhood.
abandons hope of government
for all people.
I had a dream.
Granite statue gazes outward and weeps.
betsy ashton 
Beautiful!
LikeLike
Thanks so much. I’m not a poet, but Dr. King calls to me all the time to try and capture an image or one of his teachings. Thanks for the support.
LikeLike
William Faulkner said that poetry is the highest and most difficult form of writing. I can’t do it. This is lovely, Betsy. Thank you
LikeLike
It struck me that MLK would be proud and sad with the Obama presidency.
LikeLike