Black Lives Matres: a Fantasia on Founding Mothers of Color

Ida Wells (‘B. Wells,’ some spells)

was dubb’d “race agitator”

because she wrote against the rope,

opposed that segregation trope

then spoke, "Can't cope...? Life's hopeless...? Nope!"

A one-trick pony, she…? No soap!

A Founding Black Lives Mater.

Sojourner Truth, grown long o' tooth,

remain'd a truth curator.

Her swell “Ain’t I a Woman...?” spiel,

one pitch'd with underdoggéd zeal,

urged activists to "keep it real,"

thus making Truth, from head to heel,

a Founding Black Lives Mater.

Harriet Tubman, born enslaved,

heard words from her Creator

(poor gal'd got hit upside the head):

“If thou ain't free, thou’d best be dead.”

Inspired, she slaves to freedom led.

That's why she’s since been styl'd (I've read)

a Founding Black Lives Mater.

Daisy Bates, black hist'ry states,

when but a second-grader,

was told her mother had been kill’d,

her blood by three white rapists spill’d.

But Daisy curbed her hate...to build

a movement, and become a skill’d

(and Founding) Black Lives Mater.

Rude remarks rate Rosa Parks 

a tot. (Tho' not a tater.)

Still, Parks defied bus driver Blake

to take her seat for freedom’s sake.

She sit-ins, too, did undertake.

All this, and more, does Rosa make

a Founding Black Lives Mater.

Famous Hamer, Fannie Lou:

of Jim Crow she’s a hater.

Still, Fannie read and Fannie wrote.

While white folks tried to gag her throat,

she black folks register'd to vote,

did Fannie Lou, a name to note,

a Founding Black Lives Mater.

(More Matres to come: a work in progress.)