HOW DO YOU CRY

In the light of day, there should be no shadows, no douts

Is that what respect for life is all about

How do you cry when there is no time for life?

How do you cry when hate is all you can find?

How do you forgive every time?

With marching feet, the calls for justice and peace

These sounds still echo from the streets

Will the next tear to be shed will be for you or for me?

How do you cry when life is just a short time?

How do you cry when a lie is revealed as hate?

How do you forgive next time?

Serve and protect until the next death

Mistakes and excuses do not make you innocent

Justice and peace are political vinegar and oil

How do you cry when this happens every time?

How do you cry when the tears run dry?

How do you forgive this time?

Tears spilled on the streets of Minneapolis.

No one should die for a light to be put on racial justice

Living and dying has no longer has any purpose

How do you cry when you have no tears?

How do you cry when you walk with fear?

How do you cry right NOW?

©Copyright Thomas J. Dooley 2021

Notes: 

THE EXOTIC BIRD

The light seems so different here, breaking through the square pains of the window

Its morning yellow rays lay heavy on the welcome table

Illuminate the streams of smoke from the cigarette in Baldwins fingers

The exotic bird is exiled far from home

To this oasis, other birds will come and go 

To find that missing part of his soul

Wine, bread, and cheese go untouched, forgotten in literature thoughts

Conversations of gossip and of politics winding down to a witty anecdote

The high lined brow the toothy grin not to smile back would be a sin

The exotic bird is exiled to another land.

To leave home to find his courage and stand like a man

One day an end will come to this exile soon will return home

Struggling with the times as they change but still stay the same

To find a corner of the world to claim sanity to be sain

Just wanting to feel peace in his life, no need for fame

The exotic bird is exiled to his mind.

The contemplation of life will be the inspiration to fly

On southern roads, hearing the echos of his brothers and sisters call

The broken threads of history woven into a scarf around the neck

Is it a comfort proclaiming I am a man, or will it lead to his death

Rewriting the language of equality that we still don't understand

The exotic bird is exiled with unclaimed guilt.

To journey on the southern roads to pay a personnel debt

The culture of the family never to forget that he has missed

©Copyright Thomas J. Dooley 2021

 

  

 

  

BROTHER HOOD

Those who control the meek

They are the ones who are weak

With the pain they inflict

Suffering they will not admit

Prejudice is their passion

There is a race to be run

A race to be won

The human race is the only one

My brother is white we will always fight

My brother is black we walk in different tracks

Friction of the times is only of the mind

This time we should open our eyes

Don’t take different sides

Let wrong be over powered by the right

Come together as one peace shall over come

Hate dose not discrimnate

Hate is on ever-ones face

Why should there be so many different faces

Why can’t we be brothers and sisters?

With many different faces


©Copyrights 1993 Thomas Dooley

WHAT IS AN AMERICAN

An American is a peaceful person

Americans are like a family

Caring for each other

An American is a generous person

They don't show hate

To another race

They don't lie or hide

They are a mixture of people

From the world over

They show justice to the victim

Condemn the guilty

They appreciate their children

And teach them well

Where can I find an American

Like this

Do they even exist?

©Copyright 1993 Thomas Dooley

FORGOTTEN DREAM

A dream is a dream
It will never come true
If we don’t believe in that dream
And if we don’t try to live that dream
It will never come true
When it is a dream we need

If we live in hate
Death will be our only fate
When hate other people’s race
When it’s our race we really hate
Because we can’t do the same
When we don’t motivate ourselves
We only hold our selves back
We shouldn’t do that
So we hate each other for that
It is easy to blame others
When you could change
And do the things that you are ment to
We are destroying a dream

Because we don’t try to believe
In that that dream
Thank you Dr. Marten Luther King

©Copyright 1993 Thomas Dooley