A tireless servant
To humanity,
A fierce fighter
For just causes,
For every injustice
Or a calamity
He’s at the forefront
And never pauses

A committed activist
For social justice,
Not in words
But in deeds
Alleviating suffering is his motivation,
A soldier for peace
Through planting its seeds

Stopping violence and ugly wars,
Or the killing fields
In Latin America,
The denial of rights
Of farm workers
Or the original
Natives of America,
All are his concerns
Each one is like
A snake that rattles

Human rights,
Civil rights,
Bill of rights,
Prisoners’ rights,
Voting rights,
Women’s rights,
Are his daily battles

For over fifty years
He’s never feared arrest,
To voice dissent
Or mount protest,
Because serving justice
Is his litmus test
A genuine role model
For all future generations,
A true American hero
Appreciated by God’s creations

*This poem is dedicated to Dwight Lawton, of St. Petersburg, Florida