Beth DeSombre: Music

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When she refused to yield her seat on that December day
She was warned
“White folks get priority; the law just works that way”
They explained
Centuries of fear were represented on that bus
Nothing would have ever changed if no one made a fuss
So when she sat down she took a stand for all of us
She persisted

She was warned
They explained
She persisted

When yet another black man’s death impelled her to the street
She was warned
“Black Lives Matter protests bring nothing but defeat”
They explained
Facing cops in riot gear she simply stopped and stood
In her flowing garments, doing what she could
Willing to invite arrest so we all understood
She persisted

She was warned
They explained
She persisted

When she read out Coretta’s words against the nominee
She was warned
“You can’t speak ill of Senators with whom you disagree”
They explained
But democracy depends on keeping voting rights secured
A racist who denies them should be taken at his word
She invited censure to be certain we all heard
She persisted

She was warned
They explained
She persisted

And if the future tells of the resistance that we led
When they speak of how we won I hope it will be said

We were warned
They explained
We persisted
We were warned
They explained
We persisted