Who Will Ride For Them

poem by Walter Gardner

Who will hear the voices of those who died…
Where did they die?
In fields, in woods, in rivers and streams
Where no one who cared could hear their screams

Where did they die?
In swamps, in jail houses, in a tree
As they struggled to be free
Who will hear the voices of those who died

Why did they die?
To learn to read, to figure, to write
To seek a safe and restful place to sleep at night

Why did they die?
To give their children a chance for an education
To enable them to thrive in this “great” nation

Why did they die?
To build houses, businesses and Land
To avoid being an underpaid hired hand

Why did they die?
To serve and worship almighty God – our choice
To be sure the world will hear & recognize our Voice

Yes, as we ride to the great memorial Wall
It is the right thing to do, because they gave their all
Yet, we must not forget there is another bloody trail
Where we can still hear their mournful voices wail
And, as James Weldon Johnson said, We have come “over
A way that with tears have been watered,
we have come, treading our path thru the blood of the slaughtered”

THIS IS THE TRAIL!
We cannot put it off for another day
The trail is marked and their blood shows us the way

Who will ride for them?
I will!
Will You?

By Walt Gardner – 8/27/15