I wrote this a few years ago about a women I greatly admire. My intention was to create a children’s book with them, but I don’t think that was going to happen any time soon. So here is a series of poems I did on Septima Clark intended for children.

1.Why do I vote you ask?

After those long lines

In spite of that ridiculous test,

My head held down in defeat,

Why keep going back?

Why do I vote you ask?

After their years of perseverance,

Years of hard work,

Through all those wars, marches, and years of injustice

Why keep trying?

Why do I vote you ask?

Septima is my answer.

To throw away all,

Of her work,

To throw away

All that they suffered,

To throw it all away,

Would be an injustice

I cannot do it.

That’s why I vote.

2.Not because of money

Not because of power

No not because of those things

I vote because of people

That is why I started

And that is why I keep on

I vote because of people

Like Septima, Martin, Malcolm

Caesar, Gandhi,

I vote for those who can’t

I vote for those who won’t

I vote for those who couldn’t

I vote those who wouldn’t

3. Why do I bother?

Because of the work that Septima did.

Standing in long lines

Teaching people to read,

Not taking no for an answer,

Not backing down,

Not letting fear rule her

Hate and violence did not stand in her way

Going up against the South Carolina Board of Education

Getting thrown in jail

Why do I hold my head high?

Why do I bother?

Because I can

Because I need to

Because of what they did

Because even though people told them not to

They did it anyway

5. Most people have heard of Martin and Malcolm, Rosa and her bus

But Septima is my favorite

Not taking no for an answer

Not backing down

Septima is my favorite

My mentor

Smart, doing what is right

Even without all of the national recognition

My Hero

Septima is my favorite