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.