dearcongressman

Malcolm X was a man
With many names
And many followers.
His legacy lives on
In many memories
And in books.
Even in movies.
His life was horrible,
In many respects,
But he arose
And overcame.
He knew what he wanted to do,
Had it planned,
Became a celebrity
Over such a small thing.
He opposed MLK,
But no one cared
That they were the same.
They wanted
What they thought was right.
Two great men
Both shot down,
One by the opposition,
One by his own,
Or so they say.
What would drive a man
To die for what he believed?
Only heart
And a dream.
Martin had one.
So did Malcolm.
The dreams intertwined.
They were only for the good:
Protections, rights.
They just went about it
In a different way.
The non-violent civil servant,
The violent man of war.
A revolution had begun.
A peaceful war
That broke out
Over Constitutional rights
Inequality caused it all.
Would they have been famous
If it had never happened at all?
How odd it is
That only one has his own holiday,
Yet they are still mentioned
At the same time.
They go together,
Yet one is held higher.
History teaches Martin.
Scholars teach Malcolm.
History supports Martin.
History despises Malcolm.
To it, he is just another hate-monger.
It does not treat him fairly,
Yet they are held in the highest respect
By ordinary people.
Even in death
Not separated,
Two streets in Harlem
Meet each other:
Malcolm X Boulevard
And Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard.
They meet at an intersection.
You can see it
At 125th and Lenox,
A shrine of sorts
Without a statue.
So the same
But different.
Why is one so celebrated,
The other cast into shadow?
Don't politicians care
That he helped shape the nation
As much as anyone else
Ever has?
Martin and Malcolm lived different lives,
Saw America through different eyes,
But were so alike.
One has a national holiday;
Shouldn't the other?
When someone from the King family
Does something semi-important,
It makes a huge scene,