Barbara Langford Monroe, LA

Barbara has been writing poetry since the age of 10. She's a Pre-K tutor at Minnie Ruffin Elementary and the daughter of Ms. Katheryn Langford. She has been published by The National Library of Poetry and dedicates her poetry to her daughter, DeAndra, her nephew, DeEdrick, her sisters, Wydell, Belinda, and Shirley and to the entire faculty, staff and student body of Minnie Ruffin Elementary. She also extends special thanks to Mr. Andrew Hill for demanding excellence not only from his student body, but from his faculty and staff as well.

Memories Of The Past I look back to the past from which I came Remembering the sadness, heartaches and pain. Remembering words that my ancestors spoke And songs that once filled our hearts with hope. Remembering dreams of a brighter day Where my skies were blue instead of gray. Trying to learn to read and write In secret, at night, by candle light. We've marched out of the darkness and into the light Now it seems that my people have forgotten the fight.

Evils Of The Light At the end of our dark tunnel the sun was warm and bright We squint our eyes to better see the brilliance of it's light. A garden of green lettuce with one hundreds on it's leaves Lay beyond a fence of thorns, our hands bloody from our greed. Our hunger for the lettuce brought destruction to our young Our whips and chains are now replaced with violence, drugs and guns. Now one sits and blames the other, our issues black and white Although we scrape, we can't escape the evil of the light.

The Suit of Hatred Generations of hatred passed on like hand-me-downs An old suit out dated, but left to hand around. Possessing characteristics of it's owner long ago It hangs hidden in the closet so no one will ever know. In it's pocket beats the heart of a gold watch keeping time Of the days and ways of slavery that the world has left behind. Although the threads now ravel and it's color fades from age It remains hidden it the closet where it's hatred turns to rage.

All poems Copyright © 1996 Barbara Langford. All rights reserved.