Muncie Times, Muncie, Delaware County, 7 December 2006 — Page 19

The Muncie Times • December 7, 2006 • Page 19

POETRY CORNER

Harlem Hopscotch By Maya Angelou One foot down, then hop! It’s hot. Good things for the ones that’s got. Another jump, now to the left Every-body for his self. In the air, now both feet down. Since you black, don’t stick around Food is gone, the rent is due. Curse and cry and then jump two. All the people out of work. Hold for three, then twist and jerk. Cross the line, they count you out. That’s what hopping’s all about. Both feet flat, the game is done. They think I lost. I think I won.

Sympathy By Paul L Dunbar I know what the caged bird feels, alas! When the sun is bright on the upland slopes; When the wind stirs soft through the springing grass, And the river flows like a stream of glass; When the first bird sings and the first bud ops, And the faint perfume from its chalice steals I know what the caged bird feels! I know why the caged

bird beats his wing Till its blood is red on the cruel bars; For he must fly back to his perch and cling When the fain would be on the bough a swing; And a pain still throbs in the old, old scars And they pulse again with a keener sting I know why he beats his wing! I know why the caged bird sings, ah me, When his wing is bruised and his bosom sore, When he beasts his bars and would be free; It is not a carol of joy or glee, But a prayer that he sends from his heart’s deep core. But a plea, that upward to Heaven he flings I know why the caged bird sings.

The Lesson of the falling leaves By Lucille Clifton The leaves believe Such letting go is love Such love is faith Such faith is grace Such grace is God I agree with the leaves See My Hand By Belinda Castelow My sister my sister where are you tonight still Running into self destruction reach Through your dark despair and grasp hold of

my hand My strength can become your strength My hope can become your hope We have both felt the pain of not belonging And cried the tears from long abusive situations Please let’s overcome together I need you more than you will ever know I want you to laugh, and show your Smile share your life with me Fet’s grow old together Please my sister my sister Touch my hand of strength And we shall touch our hearts as one Now other sister can touch two hands of strength We can create a Godly Force

A Not of Humility By Ama Bontemps When all our hopes are sown on stony ground, And we have yielded up the thought of gain. Long after our last songs have lost their sound. We may come back, we may come back again. When thorns have choked the last green thing we loved And we have said all there is to say, When love that moved us once leaves us unmoved Then men like us may come to have a day.

Clarence Motley and Friends

For it will be with us as with the bee The meager ant, the sea gull and the loon’ We may come back to triumph mournfully An hour or two, but it will not be soon

Encouragement II By John Henrik Clarke Beyond the dark horizon, Beyond the mass of glum If we can see a little hope We can see the sun. If we can mend our broken hearts Hugging courage from despair. Then we can grasp a brave new start. And fight our way to anywhere. We’ve suffered from the lack of might. Yet we have survived the darkest day; Now all we need is a little light And we will find our way.

Dreams By Langston Hughes Hold fast to dreams For if dreams die Life is a broken winged bird That cannot fly Hold fast to dreams For when dreams go Life is a barren field Frozen with snow.

Cleansed by Authority By Belinda Castelow Your Athority is powerful as a Kng ruling from high Looking down upon his Kingdom With the rules written in the heart of the earth. So that any should run for refuge in the time of calamity The voice of your commandments is in the Wind and thunder for any that care to listen Your Tears run down from your thrown to water .any creation of thirst Your eyes gleam upon The earth to warm and purify the ones That Dare To Be Cleansed