Dedicated to Martin Luther King Jr.
Written upon his assassination

The Dreamer Sleeps
By Linda A. Copp

Hush be silent this haunting day
for shadows watch and angels pray.
Stand quiet, gentle, to mourn a man
his journey here ended,
his life hath ran.

Easy be gentle, calm every light
for this beacon of hope,
and vision
felled in our sight.

Mourners ponder this tragedy deep,
yet, let not this Dreamer's great dream
die with him,
vanquished
though its dreamer now sleeps.

Weep for this Man
who stood mighty and tall,
This leader of Men who gave to us all,
In his words and his deeds
and in what he believed.
He made us all stronger
for this, his commitment, his humanity.

He led and they followed.
He spoke and they heard.
His words both a balm
yet, an inspiration,
a call to courage
and the struggle for  freedom
to live these words
"all men are created equal ... "

His mission, his destiny
freedom as God meant it to be.

Weep for this Man who marched on and on
in the face of his fears
and made us aware of our brothers
their struggles, their wounds and their tears.
He who with purpose and strength
and outstretched hand
reaching for man's
his, God given rights
made non-violence his way
and a force in our land.

Cry for this Man, who lies shattered,
 fallen ,
pierced by a bullet called hatred
still alive in our nation.

Cry for what has been lost
but please not for what will be.
Remember his words
they are his legacy!
And please,
Let his legacy be our Salvation.
One indivisible Nation!

Mankind his purpose touched
though not healed
come forth from the shadows
the dream is not yet, fulfilled!

March on!, March on
for though Martin is now,
 free at last, 
we must make it so for one and all!
We must break these shackles
of the dark tangled past
and truly become a nation
where "all men are created equal,"
not only in words but in every breath
we ALL take as well!"

By Linda A. Copp

April 14, 1968