I’m sending this poem to commemorate the Brown decision. In that it predates the Montgomery Bus Boycott, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Loving v Virginia decision, I believe it was the first Supreme Court ruling made that acknowledged and upheld the claim of equity for African Americans, post Reconstruction.
Though many of us know this decision and its impact, few of us think about the thirteen individuals who brought that suit to the court: 1 man and 12 women. Owing to the sexism conjoined to the racism of the day, it was Oliver Brown who became known as the principal plaintiff.
Nonetheless, I’ve always felt it a particularly satisfying irony when fate writes with poetic justice, in order to point out the conspicuous cataracts of our conscience. This was most recently displayed as a man named “Pecker” testified in court about a sex scandal involving the former president. And what better surname to have to counter the disparagement of being labeled a “salt and pepper” couple, than to be known as “Mr. & Mrs. Loving”?
And so, as fate would have it —he was “Brown” for a reason. I hope you find it to be worthy of sharing.
All the best,
Tyler
Michael Tyler is EJS Poet-in-Residence.
He Was “Brown” For A Reason
By Michael Tyler
The authors of our conscience have been clear throughout all time,
On favoring the verity of verse to the pageantry of prose.
It’s why we speak of poetic justice and not the common tongue of truth;
For what’s revealed in rhyme and meter remains a mystery to plain words.
Fate laughs as it conspires, when virtue triumphs over vice,
As it petitions, in full view, for the plaintiffs it defends.
“What’s in a name?” will ask what’s obvious about the comedy of what’s overt —
It was no coin toss of coincidence that gave this litigant his name.
He was offspring to a line bought and born as property.
So less by chance of circumstance, he was purposed by the pen.
Because the poets of our history presage our tributes in our odes.
They write the lyrics of blessed irony for hymns of paradox and prayer.
Whatever else could a man be called in a nation that scorned his hue,
That stigmatized and stained his color with the blot of bigotry?
When shaded separate and unequal, by the shadow of unjust courts,
Say the color of your name, to hush the crowing of their laws.