I saw this black
and white
photograph once
of a Deep South lynching
of two African Americans
(or black guys
as they were termed then)
hanging from a tree
by their necks
eyes closed
(as if they dozed)
dressed in rag clothes
one with his head
to one side
hands untied
a crowd looking on
one white guy pointing
the rest looking
with acute interest
what the two guys did
or why
they were lynched
I had no idea
or why the need
to photograph
a sense of justice?
or threat?
or for a laugh?
I had no clue
but looking at them
hanging there
surrounded by a crowd
I thought
of the Crucified
the Christ
and wondered
if He'd been hanged
by the neck
from some gallows
instead of being
nailed to a cross
and His followers
wore small gallows
instead of a cross
it was alter
His sacrifice
or lessen
the sense of loss?
Jun 6, 2014
Jun 6, 2014 at 1:38 AM UTC
I saw this black
and white
photograph once
of a Deep South lynching
of two African Americans
(or black guys
as they were termed then)
hanging from a tree
by their necks
eyes closed
(as if they dozed)
dressed in rag clothes
one with his head
to one side
hands untied
a crowd looking on
one white guy pointing
the rest looking
with acute interest
what the two guys did
or why
they were lynched
I had no idea
or why the need
to photograph
a sense of justice?
or threat?
or for a laugh?
I had no clue
but looking at them
hanging there
surrounded by a crowd
I thought
of the Crucified
the Christ
and wondered
if He'd been hanged
by the neck
from some gallows
instead of being
nailed to a cross
and His followers
wore small gallows
instead of a cross
it was alter
His sacrifice
or lessen
the sense of loss?
ON A LYNCHING IN DEEP SOUTH OF USA AND COMPARISON WITH CHRIST.
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