Eclipse

The blood moon
hangs full of promise

while marble steps

echo the footfalls of seekers

though wrapped in

the paisley of fear

still did boldly go

these golden children

of the Ozarks,

the Delta and

all points in between

They came with their

knees all skint up

the handprint’s of bullies 

pressed hard into their backs

with their cracked hearts

tapping against a hunger’s

bone marrow sucking

they spin gold and silver

threads of desire to bind

round packages of hope

that they continue to mail

with all the determination

of their forebears

calloused hands holding

fast the smooth wooden

handles of iron plows

cutting long furrows

in the rock hard dirt

planting a spring crop

those tender seeds

marked justice upon their

bright rainbow package

while all around Titans

gnash their steely teeth

swords drawn to pierce

the very souls of this clan

who dare to sing of equality

within the frozen climes

where the real capitol is

the use of their lives as

cannon fodder to appease

the most on high faithful

but still on they come

resolve of granite though

their legs tremble with fright

Overhead the moon glowers

its shine slowly wiped away

as warring celestial bodies

eclipse the light of celestial bodies

and in the darkness the

tremulous notes of freedom’s

song gather themselves into

a roaring chorus no longer denied 

          Randi M. Romo © April 2015