We were many people
waving many banners
marching together
under whatever
we call God
Race gender class
preference for love
(certain folks
dared call us "fringe")
all feeling a sense of resolve
on a cloudy February day
"Forward together
not one step back."
We walked and stood
and were led
by black justice traditions
hearing stories
(from the aforementioned fringe)
of solidarity
and too many
real-life scars.
"It's mighty low"
to use power
to take away
yet Rev. William J. Barber
made sure
not to indict.
"It is not
Democrat versus Republican
It is not
liberal versus conservative
It is
right versus wrong."
Then he sang the refrain
of "higher ground"
over and over
till we felt the mass
of ourselves
pushing upwards.
This poem © 2014 Emily Cooper.
