The Entertainer Poem by Melvina Germain

He sang with a smooth sensuous voice.
Beautiful ladies loved his music of choice.
As he sung, to a quiet, mesmerized audience,
his eyes shone and put forth great passion.
Sweet, flowing music, tranquil vocal tones enjoyed
by elegant ladies of exquisite high fashion.
Jealous men did not agree, they preferred
to hang the entertainer from the nearest tree.
Later that evening during a half time break,
he was cautioned, make no mistake.
Look beyond the ladies, don't stare in their eyes,
set your focus above them, look to the sky.
He sang each night as if performing chores,
then exited through the back stage doors.
Way back in the days of old,
black men entertained and sang with soul,
yet had no choice, but to do as they were told.
Times have changed since way back then,
we look, we touch, we make good friends.
No more exiting through back stage doors,
or peeing in paper cups, humiliation no more.
We must remember what happened then,
so the evil never returns to haunt us again.