Red Summer 
the year
is 2015
Nine Christians are shot
by a man with a scheme
 a stranger who came
with a mind full of bile
a mother played dead
in the blood of her child

A child was shot down
a toy gun in his hand
the police asked questions
but nobody was blamed
a man was shot
as though he were game
the demons are running
with their buddies, the
fiends
Red Summer
the year is
2015

When Dorsey got news
that both wife and child were
dead
that’s how we feel
in this summer of dread
The spirit was his guide
when he wrote that great song
but who is the god
who will take our hand
who will lead us on

“Don’t you get weary”
Martin said when he
spoke of his dream
his words have kept us
from drowning in screams
in this bloody summer
of 2015
Ishmael Reed©2015