John Lewis Poem by John Sensele

John Lewis at eighty one
Your way to Heaven you've won
On Edmund Pettus bridge you skull they broke
Freedom speech you spoke

With Martin Luther King our fight you fought
Lynchings our folks suffered but freedom we caught
To redeem our dignity
As we fought iniquity

Paving the way for our rights to shine
Politics and economics for African Americans we redefine
To earn a measure of prosperity
Carving activists a legacy posterity

Will treasure beyond measure
As you paved the way for Barack Obama to treasure
The honour of Uncle Sam presidency
Offering poise and political consistency

That has evaporated from the White House
Where vitriol rears his ugly head in the louse
That divides America on racial lines
As your demise to us mirrors memorable mines

You exploited through your contributions in activism
Fighting to the bitter end atavism
As we salute you, brave warrior
Some day soon we'll break the racial barrier.rEDmund Pettus