<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div dir="auto" style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div class="">When Fannie Lou Hamer Said</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><i class="">I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired </i></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""> She meant</div><div class=""> No more turned cheek</div><div class=""> No more patience for the obstruction</div><div class=""> of black woman’s right to vote</div><div class=""> & plant & feed her family</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""> She meant</div><div class=""> Equality will cost you your luxurious life</div><div class=""> If a Black woman can’t vote</div><div class=""> If a brown baby can’t be fed</div><div class=""> If we all don’t have the same opportunity America promised</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""> She meant</div><div class=""> Ain’t no mountain boulder enough</div><div class=""> to wan off a determined woman</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""> She meant</div><div class=""> Here</div><div class=""> Look at my hands</div><div class=""> Each palm holds a history</div><div class=""> of the 16 shots that chased me</div><div class=""> harm free from a plantation shack</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""> Look at my eyes</div><div class=""> Both these are windows</div><div class=""> these little lights of mine</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""> She meant</div><div class=""> Nothing but death can stop me</div><div class=""> from marching out a jail cell still a free woman</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""> She meant</div><div class=""> Nothing but death can stop me from running for Congress</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""> She meant</div><div class=""> No black jack beating will stop my feet from working</div><div class=""> & my heart from swelling</div><div class=""> & my mouth from praying</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""> She meant</div><div class=""> America! you will learn freedom feels like</div><div class=""> butter beans, potatoes & cotton seeds</div><div class=""> picked by my sturdy hands</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""> She meant</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""> Look</div><div class=""> Victoria Gray, Anna Divine & Me</div><div class=""> In our rightful seats on the house floor</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""> She meant </div><div class=""> Until my children</div><div class=""> & my children’s children</div><div class=""> & they babies too</div><div class=""> can March & vote</div><div class=""> & get back in interest</div><div class=""> what was planted</div><div class=""> in this blessed land</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""> She meant</div><div class=""> I ain’t stopping America</div><div class=""> I ain’t stopping America</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><i class="">Not even death</i> can take away from my woman’s hands</div><div class="">what I’ve rightfully earned</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>- Mahogany L. Browne</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><br class=""></div></div></body></html>