Courage to stand and speak truth
To power that has the power to speak lies
Lies within a heart of love for neighbor over self
All those who speak have God’s image
And God with the most power
Speaks truth to those he calls his neighbors
To those he died for
So we speak like a man with a dream
Not one that passes when we
Rub the sleep out of our eyes
But one eternal dream
A never-fading, always real dream
That all men are created equal
Not by man’s spoken word
But by God’s*
This day sings a freedom song
Muted by ears not hearing
Let us see and hear
The forgotten song
Broken are the chains
Though hearts still remain
Unbroken, unable to love,
Unwilling to sing
Closer now we stand to abolition
Of division and opression
If we sing with amplification
“God heal us!”
*This poem includes additional stanzas added for Juneteenth. It was originally published for MLK Day, 2020 at For The Church. You can read the original here.
Allyson Howell 