Memphis

A perfect vision,
A perfect dream,
From an imperfect man.
A legacy we tilt toward still,
Even as new bigotry sprouts,
Like ugly weeds,
In the fields cleared of past prejudices.
But we soldier on,
Because love and equality will prevail.
Because that dream,
Powerful as ever,
Still calls to us from the mountaintops.
Because a world that welcomes all,
In freedom,
And peaceful openness,
Is worth building.
We gather at the table of brotherhood,
Even as we bicker and complain.
We sit down together,
Even as old wounds won't heal.
We embrace old enemies as friends,
And we still have miles to go.
But that perfect dream reverberates still,
Through every valley,
Every town and city,
Every heart,
Slowly thawing the cold shoulders,
And melting away old dividing lines.
This vision continues to grow,
And inspire.
It can't be snuffed out by a bullet.
This vision,
This mission,
This perfection,
It's what we have been working toward,
As a species,
Since the dawn of time.
It is this: Together we are better.
We have miles to go,
But we're getting there.

4-4-19