We shall overcome.

We shall overcome

the cold and damp, the rain and bitterness,

the silver dagger and bullet

of hidden abuse that gets hurled our way

and we shall stand tall whilst all around us

kicks us whilst we are down

and all because one hand reached out

through the despair

and one set of eyes didn’t see us as

a problem to be swept away

and one pair of ears listened;

for we shall overcome.

 

We shall overcome.

We shall overcome

because

the ears that listened were just the first,

the eyes that saw past the bigotry and fear

implored and reached out to others

in the crowd as the hand that lifted me up

ended up wrapping its arm

around my shoulders and held me

for a while until the coldness of the street

finally started to fade away; more than this

as the heart that gave and love

overcame the greatest of social ills,

ignorance, and together onwards, hand in hand,

for we shall overcome.

 

For We Shall Overcome: Liverpool.

 

Ian D. Hall 2015.