MLK IN
DUFFERIN COUNTY
By Patricia A. McGoldrick
It was 1968
Dufferin County,
Canada,
In Grade Nine, our
first year of high school,
When we heard the
news
About him--
The American man
whose skin was black
Who spoke about
Peace and change and
Peace and practice
Sit-ins and marches and dreams
Dreams of a future
where everyone could be equal
Regardless of colour
or faith belief.
The powerful voice of
this man of peace
Reached far and wide
Even to the edge of
the snow-belt!
When he spoke about
dreams,
Like a biblical voice
in the wilderness
We heard his words
too.
In rural Dufferin
County, we knew it could happen.
After all, we had
learned about Jesus and Gandhi in school.
Why, we had even celebrated Catholic Mass
In a Protestant Orange Hall and
The roof was still intact.
Peaceful change could happen
Just like he said.
We rode buses too
Just like MLK
We dreamed our dreams
Just like MLK
We learned about peace
Just like MLK
We had the fortune of longevity
Just like MLK—
Not!
2013 BIO CURRENT
Patricia A. McGoldrick is a Kitchener, Ontario
Canada writer. Poems published in anthologies, including: Animal
Companions, Animal Doctors, Animal People; Beyond
the Dark Room, an international collection of transformative poetry,
proceeds from book sales given to Doctors Without Borders/MSF; Poetic Bloomings--the first year.
Poetry and reviews have been published in the Christian
Science Monitor, The
WM Review Connection, and ChapterandVerse.ca.
Recently posted titles include a poem entitled Potato plus an
acrostic fiction piece, Best
in the Bruce!
Patricia is a member of The
Ontario Poetry Society and the League
of Canadian Poets.
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