Rosewood

Such horror from one lie

Rosewood

April 10, 2000

revised October 15, 2011

(another blast from the past)

An unrefined party, incredulous whispers

dangling from nearby trees-

the rope snaps, a tendril falls, into the eyes, blinding.

Obtuse gatherings within a swamp of

child-like obituaries

inscribed within the minds of those

who remember all too well

the powers of animosity and the wrath that they imbibe.

Peace and sovereignty-the lying lips of

a venomous paramour, lecherous conduct

seething through forked tongue and slithering intent.

Her plaintiff stands beside watching

eager to watch the colors fall

like ransom leaves scurrying within the safety of the trees.

A blind eye sees no truth in their justice

nor the pathological lies, the demise of all who sinned;

though, we ALL sin.

Love conquered nothing but

a bedridden tumult baking within the charcoal heavens

where the washable watercolors spread the world in opaque brilliance

only to crumble down and disintegrate the one true nature

that makes us all free

unrestrained, our perspectives unified

unsullied by predetermined expectations.

The gift of life is in a civil war with indifference that

never escape the eyes that watch so intensely

searching for the mirrors of conscience and morality 

Once found they drop, eyes agape at their own existence.

The realization that the one spirit they've loathed so-killed so passionately

is hiding deep within themselves, breaking free.

Author's Note

In January 1923 the Town of Rosewood, Florida was destroyed

Between January 1, 1923 and January 8, 1923 the town of Rosewood, a black community in Levy County, Florida was ransacked and burned. The entire black community was displaced and seven people were confirmed killed, three black men, two black women and two white men. Many on both sides were injured or wounded. The entire incident was predicated on one white woman's claim that she was assaulted by a black Rosewood man. No evidence of such an act was ever found. The white woman, Fannie Taylor of Sumner, Florida was not assaulted in Rosewood.
http://rosewoodflorida.com/

Not one of my greatest works, I dunno...I realize it has grammatical errors.

Reviews

[SkinlessFrank]

your are absolutely right, lynchings have as much to do with self-hatred as they do with intolerance...the hidden ambiguity, guilt, Inevitability of all these horrors all brought to the surface by your words.

[LinBin]

Oh my goodness, what a story, thank you for sharing it and for writing such a wonderfully deep and thoughtful piece of poetry, you have an amazing gift x