An Ode To MLK

On the occasion of MLK day 2022, here is an ode I wrote to Dr. King. May his legacy live on. Happy MLK day!!! (click on this text to see ode)

An Ode to Dr. King

- Rithvik Iyer

Who’s that man there standing tall,

Awakening our nation with his call,

Why, it is none other than Dr. King,

Does that give your brain a ring?

He showed everyone rich and poor,

That he used peace and words to win the war,

He showed that separating black and white,

Was just absolutely not right.

“Today we no longer have a choice between violence and nonviolence; it is either nonviolence or nonexistence.” he said,

Day and night as he pled,

That segregation would be dead,

And that his country would be led,

Where everyone is treated fair instead.

“All people should be judged not by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.” he stated,

A new amendment to be legislated,

Which a few people hated,

But soon their opinions converted.

Day and night walking miles,

Over hills, over boulders, over tiles,

To change the constitution and it’s files,

Delivering his speech very crisp and clean,

Saying “I have a dream.”

“I’ve been over the mountain top” he states on the date,

The date before his sad fate,

His legacy will live on,

For future generations to carry on.

The future is in our hands,

To the jungle and across the sands,

To protect and preserve our lands,

And not let equality disband.

52 years later……..

The state of racial justice in the United States today,

Isn't something to smile about and shout hooray,

Though a lot of challenges have we overcome,

The future of equality is still not fully done

2020

The killing of George Floyd,

Sent racial justice through a void,

Which once again, proved equality destroyed,

When a group had to rise,

Built with stone, flesh, and thighs,

Black lives matter flies,

And refuses to deny,

With their eyes on the prize,

FIGHT AGAINST RACIAL INEQUALITY TILL IT DIES

Dr Kings hope,

Relies on us and our rope,

Our rope of equality and trust,

To not bust into pieces of glass and dust.

What i can do to help racial justice now for the community,

Is to support causes on racial awareness to prevent disunity.

Now quick! I’m running out of words to say,

So remember, we have each other to depend,

As Dr. King said we have civil rights to defend

Have a nice day, this is my poem’s end.

© Reserved. Rithvik Iyer, 2022