"A Friend"

“A Friend”

cji

1/16/17

52 years ago in Harlem

signs of the riots all about

but it was in the daylight

he who I was with was safe

we walked and talked

discussing what I saw here

and what’d I’d seen in the PI

much the same much worse

then after several hours

we ended at his home

for me to wait he had friend

needful for me to meet

at about 2130 he returned

with him three other men

each distinguished looking

introductions made at once

then we spoke until 0430

we spoke on race/leadership

being color-blind and fair

we spoke of Cuba/Russia

they asked me questions

and I in turn answered

around me I had four friends

an evening none to forget

being only 19 I was young

thus when asked about him

answering simply, ‘a friend’

told that was unacceptable

I then repeated to the world not

but to me always and forever

Dr. Martin Luther King

would be known as a friend!

Copyright © 2017 – cji