For Margie

Born in Chicago

a day before her time,

a red diaper baby.

Her parents taught her,

“It is no crime to fight,

to fight for the poor,

the homeless, America’s have-nots.

She married a black man

when that was a crime in America.

Strong-willed woman

who led her family,

She worked two jobs

to keep her family.

She raised four children

to be strong like her.

She not only taught them

right from wrong;

She taught them to fight for

what’s right and

to change what’s wrong.

She taught them to dig up

America’s racist roots.

She taught them that

the only race was the human race.

For her children, she would give

Her money, her house, her all.

With a fiery temper,

Margie took no prisoners.

From her death bed,

Margie has passed the baton

to us who live:

to feed the hungry,

to clothe the homeless,

to root out racism,

to provide health-care for all,

to vote,

to educate our children.

Long live the fighting spirit of Margie Keller Price.