I can't tell you how it feels to be discriminated against
but I know how powerless feels.*

I watched as a man was hit until he was badly bloodied.
I wanted to shout stop hitting him but
my mother covered my mouth with her hand.
Did not know why my dad stood there
clinched fist and very angry but silent.
Man collapsed on the ground he looked unconscious.
Ni - a's breathing heard a southern voice say.
Man was kicked and the bullies walked away
proud of themselves.
Ni - a got taught a lesson!
Saw spit on the ground from the one who spoke.
They walked past us.
Dad had a angry look I never saw before.
Bleeding man lay on the floor
his family came and took him away.
Dad took my mom's hand.
Mom took mine and we left the area fast.
In the car mom and dad said nothing.
We got home and they explained it to me.
Happened in the early 70's years after M. L. King was shot.
My dad said nothing because
he didn't want mom and me beat after
her was beat bloodied like the man we saw.
I'm a grown as man and know why he stood
there powerless saying nothing.
They would have ganged up on my dad
and beat him until he was nearly dead.
I would have been beaten and taunted.
My mom would have been stripped naked
and ***** with me and dad made to watch.
White women had no rights and got treated
like second class citizens.
Southern whites ignored civil rights movement
and still lived under Jim Crow Laws.