Selma, Alabama, 1965

Confrontation at the Bridge  Jacob Lawrence

Democracy 

by Langston Hughes

Democracy will not come

Today, this year

Nor ever

Through compromise and fear.

I have as much right 

As the other fellow has

To stand

On my two feet 

And own the land.

I tire so of hearing people say, 

Let things take their course.

Tomorrow is another day.

I do not need my freedom when I'm dead.

I cannot live on tomorrow's bread.

Freedom

Is a strong seed

Planted

In a great need.

I live here, too.

I want freedom

Just as you.

Reflections on Refractions

Arlequin  Pablo Picasso

In Broken Images
by Robert Graves
He is quick, thinking in clear images;
I am slow, thinking in broken images.

He becomes dull, trusting to his clear images;
I become sharp, mistrusting my broken images.

Trusting his images, he assumes their relevance;
Mistrusting my images, I question their relevance.

Assuming their relevance, he assumes the fact;
Questioning their relevance, I question their fact.

When the fact fails him, he questions his senses;
when the fact fails me, I approve my senses.

He continues quick and dull in his clear images;
I continue slow and sharp in my broken images.

He in a new confusion of his understanding;
I in a new understanding of my confusion.