The Power of Song

This is a poem I wrote for my English 102 college class back in 2014. We were watching The Wind That Shakes the Barley and were discussing topics of racism/discrimination and how the prisoners sang to keep their spirits up. Fun fact: I wrote this poem right before leaving to class to hand it in at the very last minute haha.

The Power of Song

An act of violence and a lack of love React in silence for fact of what The facts are wrong along the tracks of dawn A train of pain across the loss of calm But the bond is strong through the cracks of song The melody is a weapon and the people are armed A remedy to counter the extremities on Racism and hate that the enemy is drawn To in order to power themselves like a bomb Or a bulb, or diffused, the enemy is confused But the people refuse, their voice is infused With the rhythms of life and the prisms of light Different shapes in the minds that the songs can entice So suffer in pain and let the enemy gain Control of the soul and the body of brawn Or keep strong and fly away into the heavens of song