Beautiful Boy

by Rusheena   Mar 23, 2013


He was a beautiful boy,
so young and vibrant
with golden brown skin and fiery eyes.
He was the light of his mother's life,
until that fateful, summer day,
when he was struck down
by the hand of injustice.

He was a beautiful boy,
such an adventurous little raven,
until he ventured too far from his nest.
He spotted a lovely dove,
near the Mississippi River,
where the vultures conquered
the forests with their caws.

He was a beautiful boy,
until his face became disfigured
by the razor sharp
beaks of the angry vultures.
The vicious birds were never caged,
and the South rejoiced,
as little Bobo's broken body
shocked the world.

*Inspired by Baby Rainbow's title challenge. The poem is based on the murder of 14 year old Emmett Till in August 25, 1955. He was the victim of a hate crime. Emmett's nickname was "Bobo".*

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Latest Comments

  • 11 years ago

    by zombiepikachu

    At first when I read this, I thought the Bobo referred to the Bobo doll experiment.
    This is really beautiful, simplistic, but the metaphor is just very clear. It's sweet that you wrote this and I feel like its very calming.

    • 11 years ago

      by Rusheena

      Thanks, Z! I just looked up the Bobo doll experiment; I've never heard of that before. Very interesting.

  • 11 years ago

    by Mohan

    Yes, no one can guess anything with this titlle
    A story is like a poem. well penned.

  • 11 years ago

    by BlueJay

    Wow this is amazing and honestly thats all i know how to say about this piece besides the fact i wouldnt have guessed it from the list of titles either. Wow

  • 11 years ago

    by Baby Rainbow

    Wow Rusheena, I would never have imagined this idea from the title, not ever!

    I love that you took a fact in history and also a person and their story and brought it to life for people to be aware of.

    I don't know if you meant this or not but your last two stanza's say beautiful biy and not a beautiful boy? I don't think it works as well without the a, as in the first stanza has. But perhaps that is only me.

    I really like the image of the birds and the word vultures, very very powerful and fitting to these people who did such awful things. I also like the mention of beaks because I feel it relates to the words people say an do not realise ( or care ) about their meaning or impact.

    Fantasitc job. Really am impressed with this one of yours, very unique. It touches me that you write about something that happened before we were born and I was unaware of this event. I like the thought that his name lives on through this poem.

    xx

    • 11 years ago

      by Rusheena

      Darn typos! I've been staring at this poems for too long and missed it. Thanks, Saffie; glad you liked it

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