An Echo From My Son on MLK

This is an OLD post. But I do love my son's 4 year old poem.....

"Martin Luther King, Junior" by my son at 4, in Answer to "What Can Kids Understand"

When my son was very young he fell in love with watching two videos, The Snowman and Our Friend Martin. Both were daily repertoire pieces for him. I thought the Martin Luther King Jr. video was wayyyyyy over his head.

Luca, my son, spoke very, very late. At four. So I called him over one day and asked him to "talk" to me about Martin, his friend writing it down as I heard it. This is one of my favorite Martin Luther King Jr. poems in the world.
So subtle.

For years, years in our family the phrase "love it by all" means something very special. When said, we just laugh and feel closer. I'm sorry, I know it is my son, but the poem, is our classic. The video is one where with young kids you need to explain flashbacks and be ready to explain and talk as you go. A bit much for 1st, but with that adult support, it is good. In fact a nice work in elementary to help understand hard concepts. First the video,



Our Friend Martin (1998)
Starring: Edward Asner, Angela Bassett
Director: Rob Smiley

Now the poem by Luca Puglisi....(at 4)


Martin Memories
by Luca Vernon Puglisi


When he was young we called him RAINBOW.


He lived in the world a junior.


Don't let, no bottles, no wood
No everything that's bad for love.


I saw him on TV talking to these mans.


He was at a boycott meeting where grandma went last week.


His family, his daughter, his man


This man got in jail. Not.


The kids, the dad, and the mother was playing piano.


I don't want to be in jail.
I miss my mom and cry
Then everybody calls me a crybaby.


The boys had dark, the ladies have dark.
I have light.
He said love it by all.


I'm gonna hate her back, he said.
Me too, I'm gonna hate her black.
The man said her skin is darker than ours,
I don't know what. Not right.


It was bad to have punching and hitting.


I'm not going to be in jail for that.


Martin Luther King is not a fighting guy.
________________________________



(written circa 1998 at age 4)