This Man

This Man by Bobill

This Man -
This dark black Black Man -
Lived at the lower end
Of what's known now as Main Street -
Past the railroad tracks,
Past the two funeral homes
On the right -
And the row of shanties
On the left -
But before the big white Black schoolhouse -
That sat on its haunches
With its back to the creek -
Looking up Main Street -
Past the funeral homes
On the left -
Past the row of shanties
On the right -
And into the face
Of the County Bank.

This Man worked hard -
At lumber yards -
At whatever he was asked to do -
Repaired small motors
For push-type lawnmowers -
And helped out in the little restaurant
His family ran - which served
Wonderful hotdogs -
To Blacks and Whites.

This Man knew his place
In a White Man's town -
Said yas suh and no suh
And thanky suh -
When asked -
And nothing - when not -
Never rode in the front of a bus,
Never entered the front door
Of White Man's house -
And never questioned a sign
That read "Whites Only."
But before he died
This Man had sent
Every child that he sired and raised
Off to college and a life
That this Man dreamed about -
And helped build -
But never knew!