Hey Dr. King by Jim Sanders

Hey, Dr. King…
…the world is on fire
The senseless slaughter of innocents
Proceeds apaceIn Ukraine, Israel, Gaza, Sudan,
Haiti, Nigeria, and
Other places around the world
Not mentioned
In the nightly news.
 Clergy like to pray
Or maybe hold a peace vigil
But won’t lead
A public march
To protest global violence.
Nope
Too confrontational.
 You nailed it in your “Letter
from a Birmingham Jail”
Churches prefer
“the anesthetizing security of
Stained-glass windows” to
The risk of activism.

So, Dr. King,
I’m sorry
We’ve failed you,
Forgotten your legacy.
 You took a bullet
For us in ‘68
It should’ve lodged
In our collective psyche
It did in mine.
 I’m ready, Dr. King
To take to the streets,
Peacefully,
Nothing will change
Until we do.

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Jim Sanders is a retired U.S. government employee, who seeks peace through charity and activism.