The following was written after hearing the goose-bump speech of Julia Jackson, in response to her son being shot by police in Kenosha, WI. Her speech was not sad, it was not hopeless, but rather the exact opposite. At the end of the poem is a link to view the powerful speech. As we move into September and the theme, “Community in the Eye of the Storm,” Julia Jackson is a North Star to watch, listen and soak in:
©2020 Karla Johnston, InnerConstellation.com
September 1, 2020
A storm brews more powerful than a hurricane,
people whipped up, circling, caught in the maelstrom.
Young men
shot by police,
call into question
excessive use of force.
Eyes rest upon the scene,
seeing black men, young sons, neighborhoods echoing the shots
amidst mothers, calling for peace.
“Clearly, you can see by now
That I have beautiful brown skin,
But take a look at your hand
And whatever shade it is, it is beautiful as well.
How dare we hate what we are.
We are humans.
God did not make one type of tree
or flower, or fish, or horse, or grass, or rock.
How dare you ask him to make one type of human
that looks just like you.
I’m not talking to just Caucasian people.
I am talking to everyone:
White, black, Japanese, Chinese, red, brown,
No one is superior to the other….
We are the United States.
Have we been united?
Do you understand what’s going to happen when we fall?
Because a house that is against each other can not stand.
“Citizens, police officers, firemen, clergy, politicians:
Do Jacob justice on this level and examine your hearts.
We need healing.
As I pray for my son’s healing—physically, emotionally and spiritually—
I also have been praying even before this for the healing of our country.
Everybody, let’s use our hearts, our love,
and our intelligence to work together
to show the rest of the world how humans are supposed to treat each other.
America is great when we behave greatly.”
Julia Jackson, Eye of the Storm,
Holy Mother,
walk, stand, show
in this suffrage,
True North.
