lincolnpoem # 14
it gives me pleasure to go past
the statue of lincoln in front of
the state capitol more often than
not children are climbing around
jumping off the blocks tag and
catch me at the feet of that great
complex simple man two small
boys yesterday with a dad who
didn’t forbid today six or seven
grade schoolers no adult nearby
their leaps and dashes almost a
ballet one little girl paused to hold
his hand she wasn’t posing for a
snapshot or saying look at me only
a moment of quiet companionship
the good man looking down kindly
©2015 Jacqueline Jackson
This article appears in Apr 30 – May 6, 2015.
