This is a Good Thing~ By Linda Imbler

The little white toddler
Bathes her black baby doll
With her mother's help.
She changes the baby’s clothes
By herself,
Bestowing kisses and hugs
On the doll-a gift,
And her mother says
This
Is a good thing.

The young white six-year-old
Plays with the black girl,
Her same age,
Sharing her toys,
Knowing the other 
Has few,
And her mother says
This
Is a good thing.

The 13-year-old white girl
And her mother wait,
Standing behind the black man,
Getting a drink
From the same common water fountain,
And her mother says
This
Is a good thing.

The 18-year-old white college girl
Gets a summer phone call
From her black friend
And classmate, Patsy,
During vacation.
They talk for a long time
With frequent giggles.
Patsy is smart, beautiful
And so very funny,
And her mother says
This
Is a good thing.

Fifty years on,
I still have the photo.
Of latter events,
I still have my memories.
And I say
This
Is a good thing.


Author Bio:
Linda Imbler has been published by:
deadsnakes.blogspot.com, behappyzone.com, bluepepper.blogspot.com, buckoffmag.com, Fine Flu Journal, Bunbury Magazine, Blognostics, Nailpolish Stories, Broad River Review Literary Magazine, Mad Swirl, Ascent Aspirations: Friday’s Poems, and Unbroken Journal. Her first poetry collection Big Questions, Little Sleep has been published. Linda’s short stories have appeared in Fear of Monkeys and Danse Macabre. This writer, yoga practitioner, and classical guitar player resides in Wichita, Kansas. Linda can be reached at lindaspoetryblog.blogspot.com.