I have a dream

In honor of Martin Luther King Jr.'s unforgettable speech, I dedicate my poem I have a dream to MLK:

I Have a Dream|

To Martin Luther King, Jr|

We have come so far

But we have not yet come far enough

So much has changed since your speech

Yet so much remains the same

I Have a Dream

Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness

Will have true meaning and no longer be denied

I am waiting for the day

When we are all truly treated equal

Our gender, sexual orientation and

the color of our skin will bear no bias;

racial; gender and sexual orientation profiling will finally end;

A black man can run out of a store

Without raising thoughts of suspicion

No one will ever be stopped walking down the street

and forced to show proof that they are indeed an American citizen

Parents will not be separated from their children and deported

No one will be looked at as a terrorist

Because of certain facial features they were born with

Instead we will all blend in

No one will feel the need to propagate fear

And purposely under-educate our children

Any and all weapons will be archaic

Forgotten like the history lessons of the past

Which are now being recorded as untrue; tainted with hypocrisy and hate

Communication and love will unite us and keep us together

And the question in every child’s mind will be

What was the purpose of violence and war

Our brothers and sisters will no longer have to live on the streets

Frightened, hungry, unbathed, sick, alone; and

No single parent family will ever have to ration food again; or

Wonder where the next meal will come from;

Nor forfeit buying their child a warm jacket; clothes that fit; or

Replace a pair of duct taped shoes to pay the rent

A time when insurance companies; corporate greed and money

No longer are the ruling class; the people’s voice is finally heard

I have a dream that people will evolve and learn from the painful

mistakes of the past

Religious differences will finally be resolved as kindness will replace religion

I have a dream one day together we will occupy humanity; and

Forever after be known as one people; humankind

Also published on my blog: http://cindisilvapoetryandprose.wordpress.com/2013/01/19/i-have-a-dream/