250,000 faces upturned, awaiting his words, their sighs hushed.
He shuffles pages of a speech composed by committee, something for everyone, and begins reading. Each of us leans forward for nourishment, vying to be there first. Scattered cheers ripple up and sink again into a murmuring ocean.
‘Tell them,’ improvises Mahalia Jackson. His gaze drifts from the wordy text to linger on the crowd, as if to draw them closer.
‘Riff,’ I whisper.
Has he heard? Eyes deep as oceans, he dives down for sunken treasure and surfaces holding pearls.
‘I say to you today, my friends, I have a dream … ‘
Image: CNN.com
A dream so damnably hard to achieve…
Alas, yes, although once spoken of never forgotten. It’s a start, of sorts …
And much has been accomplished, Dave. Although it always seems two steps forward and one step back.
True. A phrase comes to mind: ‘The price of freedom is eternal vigilance.’ Let’s keep watching!
There are always folks wandering around who are happy to limit our freedom for their own benefits, or to impose their view on us. Yes, let’s keep watching and acting. –Curt
Happy endings pending…
True. Depends whether the tide is in or out, I suppose …
This is simply gorgeous writing! Thank you for the inspiration.
Thank you, Madeline, for reading!
Just a few words say so much.
Glad you liked it. Only having a few words seems to concentrate my mind.