The Colour Bar
I
In twilight twentieth century
men I solemnly religiously revere
not one of sapiently reverend
top three is externally white I fear.
II
Mohatma Mohandas Karamchand Gandi.
Nelson Rolihlaha Mandela.
Martin Luther King. Their praise I sing.
III
Gandi lawyer statesman Indian nationalist leader
advocating ahimsa non-violent non-cooperation
Satyagraha truth and firmness a policy of passive
resistance to British rule advocated by Gandhi
defence of and by truth imprisoned many times
by South African and later British India authorities
assassinated by a Hindu nationalist in January 1948
never posthumously awarded the Nobel Peace Prize?
IV
Mandela lawyer black South African nationalist leader
imprisoned again from 1964 to 1990 for life on charges
of sabotage and plotting to overthrow white government
'The Black Pimpernel' during clashes with authorities
avered because of his ability to avoid South African police
using several disguises a favourite an invisible chauffeur
Mandela anti-apartheid struggle symbol of unity for
worldwide anti-apartheid racial equality movement
Mandela served 27 years in prison 46664 AIDS activist
against AIDS epidemic awarded Nobel Peace Prize in 1993.
V
King US Baptist minister black American civil rights leader
Montgomery, Alabama nonviolent bus boycott of 1955
during 382 days of boycott King was arrested his home
was bombed he was subjected to personal racist abuse
250,000 march organizer on Washington DC in 1963
to demand famous “I Have A Dream” speech racial equality
assaulted arrested twenty times awarded Nobel Peace Prize
in 1964 the year Nelson Mandela was sentenced to jail for life
assassinated on motel balcony Memphis Tennessee April 1968.
VI
Will next martyr be an Arab
a stylized western prejudged ambassador?
No an old loyal lion of Israel
who died attempting a Palestinian Israeli
intervening tightrope gap act
assassinated by an Israeli nationalist in 1995.
VII
Mahatma (‘Great Soul’)
a graphic symbol
used in ritual meditation
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poem by Terence George Craddock
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