Finally done the reflections!!! For my third and final reflection I choose to do a poem.
I did a what?
Ya, you heard me correct, I wrote a poem about the marches from Selma to Montgomery. At the beginning I did not know what I wanted to do for my reflection, then it came to me. A poem! Just kidding that not how it happened, I was asking my mom for her opinion and was telling her what other people have done, and she said well how about a poem. I wasn’t sure about this idea because I am not good and writing poems, but soon agreed. Rookie Mistake! Should have stuck to my gut, which was saying “don’t write a poem”. But I didn’t so…
Before you read my poem I am going to give you a brief summary of what happened during the march, so you can understand it better. The marched from Selma to Montgomery was a non-violent march apart of the voting rights movement and it shined a light on racial injustice in the South, lead by Martin Luther King Jr. The march was 54 miles from Selma to Montgomery, it took the protesters three tires to complete their journey. The first march took place on March 7, 1965, King was not able to make it to this march due to family issues back home. Once the protesters were on the Edmund Pettus Bridge, police and state troopers tear gassed and beat the non-violent marchers with billy clubs, after the passed over the county line. This event was later given the name “Bloody Sunday”. The second march was on March 9th, King was leading the group of protesters across the bridge when the spotted the state troopers and policemen at the end of the bridge, the crowd stopped. The troopers then opened up the road for the marchers to continue their protest, or that’s what it looked like. But no, it was a trap, they only were wanting to let them through because once they crossed the line, they were able to arrest them. Martin Luther King Jr. soon detected this and turned the entire crowd around without saying a word, and walked back to the church. Martin Luther King Jr. wanted protection for the march due to all the death. George Wallace refused to give the marchers protection, therefore President Johnson committed to do so. On March 21st the final march began, Martin Luther King led alongside religious leaders from all faiths and denominations: priests and reverends, nuns and rabbis, black and white marched together. They were protected by almost 4000 soldiers and Alabama National Guard under Federal command, and many FBI agents and Federal Marshals. The marchers arrived in Montgomery on March 24th and at the Alabama State Capitol on March 25th. With thousands having joined the campaign, 25,000 people entered the capital city that day in support of voting rights.
Okay so now I think you might be ready for my poem, hope you enjoy!
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The march from Selma to Montgomery was 54 miles,
But that didn’t stop anybody,
Even though there were many of denials.
Bloody Sunday was not a successful day,
The marchers were beaten,
Leaving the bridge grey.
But they weren’t done with this quest,
The second attempt took place on March 9th,
To show that they are truly the best.
When they got to the bridge, they were surprised to see,
The troopers and police had opened up the road,
The marchers thought, could this be?
Martin Luther looked at the situation,
And turned the crowd around,
Avoiding any further frustration.
There was only one man who could truly protect,
Since Governor Wallace refused,
It was up to President Johnson, with the big chest.
The final march lasting four days,
4000 soldiers and state troopers right by their sides,
Protected, they made it, a success in so many ways.
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I wrote most of my poem off the information I had previously learned in class, and then went to our amazing course or the interest for the small details I didn’t know or forgot. I know that if I pracise more, I am able to get better at writing poems, but I can definitely confirm with you now, that I don’t really like writing poems.