Time And Place Poem by Mustafa Marconi

Time and place
The year 2000
A new millennium
The changing of an era
A new day
A new beginning
Same old policies
Same old philosophies
Steppingstones have turn to dust
Springboards to quicksand
Our leaders spineless
Constantly embroiled in controversy
Hair straightened,
Faces completely shaven
Integrity propositioned
Agenda confused
Hands extended high into the sky
Ask and it shall be given
The bank accounts swells
The struggles continues...


Time and place
The year 1964
Miami, Florida
A young gladiator proclaims
“I am the greatest”
“I am pretty”
“I’m a bad man”
In his corner
Our own black prince
Our shining light
In an era of darkness
Our manhood
Our dignity
Our leader
Not propositioned by wealth
Not distracted by pettiness
Not tempted by lust and greed
Hands extended high into the sky
Ask and it shall be given
Bank accounts; non-existent
His family broke
A people mourn
The struggles continues...


Time and place
The year 1950
A new era of greatness
Preparing to blossom
Malcolm, Martin, Mandela,
Medgar, Lumumba, Biko,
Marley, Castro, Ali, Ashe, Huey,
Dick Gregory, Thurgood Marshall,
Nkrumah, Mugabi, and countless others
All living, All blooming
Hands extended high into the sky
Ask and it shall be given
What a lovely garden it could have been
And the struggles continues...