Answer to Our Youth

by Dennis O’Brien

Poem


Combat Nursing

by Louise Eisenbrandt

Prose


This Road I Am On

by David Marchant

Poem


That Look

by David Marchant

Poem


Jamie and Roxy

by Richard Wangard

Prose


The Promise

by Nila Bartley

Poem


IF MY SHOES COULD TALK

By Theoplis Wright, Army

Writing Type: Poem

If my shoes could talk. ..
They would walk you through trials and tribulations
and tell you stories of bravery and
how a young black slave girl
built her own underground railroad.
If my shoes could talk. ..
They would tell you how they walked in hatred
because of the color of our skin and also injustice
and how trying to have equal rights
had men and women and children being hung
because we wanted freedom.
If my shoes could talk ...
They would tell you of a man who walked
in the state of Montgomery, Ala.
and never struck a single blow against mankind.
If my shoes could talk. ..
They would tell you about a woman
who decided to ride the bus and not give up her seat
and move to the back because she was black.
If my shoes could talk ...
They would tell you about black soldiers
who marched in a war and fought,
and were called buffalo soldiers,
and are very seldom mentioned in our history.
If my shoes could talk. ..
They would tell you of the revolution of the black men
who formed a group called The Black Panthers.
If my shoes could talk. ..
They would tell you of two men
who both spoke of being free and having freedom,
and one spoke on the White House grounds
that today still rings out from the mountain tops,
while the other spoke about any means necessary,
and a last name with only one letter in it, "X."
If my shoes could talk ...
They would say they are old and tired and run down.
However, they must keep on walking.
So they would say that they have to take their
shoes to the shoemaker.
to get their souls restored and now they have new life.
If my shoes could talk ...
They would say thank you to those who walked
before them
and paved the way for black men who
can now walk up to the mic and say
"I am not running for my life today, instead I am running
for the President of The United States of America."

Dwell in Hope

by Ben Hawkins

Poem


Somewhere a Woman Is Building an Ark

by Louise Eisenbrandt

Poem


A Place Where Soldiers Go

by Paul Gonzales

Poem


Empty

by Michelle Pond

Photograph


Crab Story

by William Perry

Prose


Possessions

by James Janssen

Prose