Northeastern winter sun
shines on my cold hands
guiding the controls
of my wheelchair.
I enter Independence Hall
like many others have before
through the back door
the accessible entrance.
I glide into the great Assembly Room
and ask myself the same question
we’ve asked since 1776
what would the founding fathers think?
Of a great granddaughter
of poor immigrants
that fled facism for freedom
being a mother of their descendants
she lives on science, faith,
hope, protests, and progress
a keeper of the promise.
Reflections from the future
their voices heard here.
What they began
is up to us to complete.
They said it was ours
I’m here to claim it.
I can see from my chair
a distance we still have to go.
Their words we were told
it’s up to us to hold them to it.
We are still brave enough
to come through the back door
to do it.
-k. thompson
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