Alice Walker Pens Beautiful Poem For Late Civil Rights Leader Julian Bond

The death of legendary civil rights leader Julian Bond on August 15th left a community bereft, yet grateful for a life well-lived and legacy that will inspire and inform generations of activists to come.

RELATED:

 “NewsOne Now” Honors The Life & Legacy Of Civil Rights Icon Julian Bond

Julian Bond: Legendary Civil Rights Leader Passes Away At 75

Author and poet Alice Walker posted a fitting tribute to Bond on her website, remembering the young, passionate activist he was in college and the icon he would become.

It’s definitely worth the read:

Julian Bond 1940-2015

Julian

The first time I sang

We Shall Overcome

Was in a circle

On the lawn of Trevor Arnett Library

At Atlanta University

And by chance

I was holding

Your hand.

We were all so young,

Julian,

And so hopeful

In our solidarity.

I stumbled over some of the words

In the new to me

Song

But you sang solemnly,

Correctly,

Devoutly,

Believing every word

You sang

With your whole

Handsome

Heart.

A friend writes

That you will be buried

At sea

And I nod

Because that is how it felt

Those years so long ago;

That we were so young,

Vulnerable,

Swimming against

An awesome tide of hatred

And despair

Definitely

At sea.

Read the rest of Walker’s powerful and beautiful tribute at AliceWalkersGarden.com.

Alice Walker Pens Beautiful Poem For Late Civil Rights Leader Julian Bond  was originally published on newsone.com