JUST A SATURDAY NIGHT IN MONTGOMERY (Poem)

JUST A SATURDAY NIGHT IN MONTGOMERY

By Farah Lawal Harris, 2025

At the dock, boats come and go,

as do folks from town and out,

some happy, some down and out,

some quiet, some scream and shout,

some who you’d call bout it bout—

It was a regular Saturday at the dock,

the kind where folks come to unwind

and leave the troubles on their minds behind.

227 lovely souls rode on the Harriott II,

a lively riverboat dinner cruise.

Upon returning to the dock at 7 o’clock,

they were blocked from being able to park.

An unsuccessful negotiation ensued

with a pontoon boat that all out refused

to move from the space the Harriott II pursued.

45 minutes later, the Captain of the riverboat had enough—

he sent two staff members to move the pontoon.

The co-Captain, the Black one of the two

was then beaten in the kindly way Alabamans like to do.

A little scuffle took place—

nothing to take away from the Saturday mood.

Then of course, in line with the city’s history,

a boisterous throwing of hands,

what some might call a brawl.

Most notably, a folding chair artfully swung,

and a young man who swam like a merman

to help finish what begun.

Some consider this the day the South was won.

—

Written for National Poetry Writing Month #napowrimo