On Saturday, October 18, my husband and I participated in the No Kings protest in Hartford, CT at the state capitol building. As we wandered through the crowd, I started to cry, and I asked myself: Why is this water leaking from my eyeballs?! 😊
I’ve often cried out of sorrow, anger, or frustration (man, I am sounding like a constant weeper here!), but that day, I found myself crying out of relief…
- relief that there are people who see what I see,
- relief that there is a movement to resist the decline of democracy, and
- relief that people still can find humor in critical situations.
People took action with their presence AND their words. Looking around at the clever, punchy, or poetic sayings that people had crafted and stuck to a stick was awe-inspiring. Although I don’t generally favor signs with personal attacks, this one made me smile: I’ve Seen Smarter Cabinets at IKEA.
It’s funny how events sometimes connect. The next day, I reviewed Valerie Bolling’s new picture book biography A Flea for Justice: Marian Wright Edelman Stands Up for Change.
Valerie deftly leads us on the journey of Marian Wright Edleman’s campaigns for social justice. As a child, Marian had a strong sense of fairness in a time when blatant unfairness permeated her everyday life. She was determined to irritate those in power to change, and she devoted her life to creating a more equitable world. TeMika Grooms’s illustrations expertly use light and color to convey emotion and propel the action forward in Marian’s story. TeMika and Valerie’s expert telling of key events and accomplishments in Marian’s life creates opportunity for readers to discuss parallels to today’s world. I hope that children see themselves in Marian’s story and understand they have the power to change the world for the better. As Valerie quoted Marian, “Enough fleas biting can make the very biggest dog uncomfortable.”
Because I often struggle with how to take action, I love that Valerie’s book shows us examples of how a person can make change. Books that illustrate examples of social engagement can provide a wonderful guide for both adults and children.
Valerie has another book coming out in January, 2026 that shows one girl’s journey on a protest march. I can’t wait to read that one as well!
Thoughts of social justice always bring to mind Maya Angelou’s Caged Bird.
Caged Bird
By Maya Angelou
A free bird leaps
on the back of the wind
and floats downstream
till the current ends
and dips his wing
in the orange sun rays
and dares to claim the sky.
But a bird that stalks
down his narrow cage
can seldom see through
his bars of rage
his wings are clipped and
his feet are tied
so he opens his throat to sing.
The caged bird sings
with a fearful trill
of things unknown
but longed for still
and his tune is heard
on the distant hill
for the caged bird
sings of freedom.
Thanks to Patricia Franz for hosting Poetry Friday! Please visit Patricia’s blog for a lovely seasonal tanka and this week’s Poetry Friday roundup. Want to know more about Poetry Friday? Check out: What in the World is Poetry Friday.