There are many meaningful quotes by MLK rolling and scrolling through all my social media channels. But I stopped scrolling when I saw the lead to this poem written by a very dear and extremely talented friend Kerri McCaffrey, whose poetry always zaps me like an arrow straight into my third eye with a magical bend down into my heart. How does she do that!?!

This is a poem from her book, In the Valley of Glow Trees, which I HIGHLY recommend. If you love nature and wildlife and a sparkling description of the heart, you’ll want this book handy . . .

The vase was cobalt
and the flower, yellow
sunlight streaming explosions
on iridescent things–
a butterfly crafted
of peacock wings.
And love is light
and light is fair
so I have been crossing
ruby bridges
pondering
Rosa Parks
and Martin Luther King, Jr.
wondering—
did they sit in their kitchens
clay cup of bitterness

turned to coffee light and sweet
trying to stomach despair?
Federal Marshals, high pressure hoses, shots fired
from grassy knolls.
Or did they sit quietly
and linger
a tad longer
in the filtered light
the glitter dust
whispering, “deliver us”
from evil
as they sunk daffodils in blue vases
went out and placed themselves in harm’s way
tamped with equality
willing to be exploded—
scintillant slivers and silver shrapnel—?

Christ!

© Kerri Nicole McCaffrey 2013

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