First there was Martin Then John came along Leading the march With a prayer and a song When blocked on their way They knelt to pray Open hands joined together Letting faith be the tether Together they moved us on the way Making us all freer today Their hands always open to hold Not to strike never to fold. When Martin was added to the martyrs list The open hand became a fist Love and justice no more heralded the day Hate and anger now held sway We’re not all one the signs do say We’re Black and Beautiful became the way Peace will be at a cost If you don’t agree much will be lost We’ll march and burn if need be Shoot and maim till you agree Panthers emerged and Nationalist too Separating white me from you For a while its’ been quiet not much to say Small changes happening along the way From the blue an evil act ripped open the sore Now Black lives Matter wants to even the score Peace or power which way to go Which is right, who’s to know Black Lives Matter follows Malcolm’s lead Power over prayer is their creed No justice no peace the clarion call Means do it my way or not at all Martin wished character not race to be the measure Coming to solutions at both sides pleasure Hearts and minds joined in the fray To come together not just for today His ideals are in a tatter Were in a fight with what’s the matter Two parallel worlds, or all brothers A choice, not to be made by one or another If this final resolve is through pain not love There will be no hand in the glove

Matthew Borrelli of Manchester is a longtime Connecticut educator, who has served as an interim superintendent of schools in Bloomfield, Waterbury, and Hartford school systems. He has served in administrative capacities in a number of districts including South Windsor, West Hartford, New Haven, and Hartford. Matthew Borrelli is an author as well, his first book, a Poemoir, titled “STANDING IN THE WAVES WAY.”