A Black Child’s Walk to See the Freedom Train
by Mary Louise Hopson

This is Michael Carey for Voices from the Prairie a weekly sampling from the rich soil of Iowa's literary tradition. Today we hear from Mary Louise Hopson (affectionately known as the Pinder Poet) a retired African American woman living in Des Moines whose grandparents were born American slaves, and who knew the evil hardships of racism and segregation growing up in the south but who also found love, friendship and a career as an account executive here in Iowa. In 1995 she won the Governor's Award for her volunteer work as a Court Appointment Special Advocate and a Civil Rights Volunteer. Her poem is entitled "A Black Child's Walk to See the Freedom Train."

A Black Child's Walk to See the Freedom Train

On an early morning in sixty-five
I took the loneliest stride of my life.
Alone, I walked with the weight of fear
  shackled through the streets
that harbored lives
broken shades of defeat
in both mind and spirit.

The streets were muddy and dark.
Lurking around dark corners were shacks

  sheltering hapless souls.
Dogs barked to create alarm
but knew I meant no harm
  and then
let me travel on.

The trees along the dark street
  cast a canopy to
protect
this child aged ten and two
bowing to the Gods to let her through
on her
journey to see the
Freedom Train
that promised
to let her trust again.


"A Black Child's Walk to see the Freedom Train" by Mary Louise Hopson from her book The Pinder Poet: Cherishing This Heritage published by Center Press Books.

For Voices from the Prairie and Humanities Iowa, this is Michael Carey hoping you continue to hear the music blooming all around you.

Biography

Mary Louise Hopson born in Gowdy township now part of Jackson, Mississippi is a retired account executive, Court Appointment Special Advocate (CASA) Volunteer, Civil Rights Volunteer and a former facilitator for the Des Moines Area Writers' Network. In 1995 she received the Iowa Governor's Award for outstanding volunteer service. In 1997 she was honored for Outstanding Volunteer Service by the United Way and in 1993 she was the Des Moines Register Neighbor of the week. Her first book of poetry The Pinder Poet: Cherishing This Heritage was published in 1997 by Center Press Books.

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