PWB Peeps Open Thread: Poetry of Johnson

The Octoroon

by Georgia Douglas Johnson (1880-1966)

One drop of midnight in the dawn of life’s pulsating stream 
Marks her an alien from her kind, a shade amid its gleam. 

Forevermore her step she bends, insular, strange, apart— 
And none can read the riddle of her strangely warring heart. 

The stormy current of her blood beats like a mighty sea 
Against the man-wrought iron bars of her captivity. 

For refuge, succor, peace, and rest, she seeks that humble fold 
Whose every breath is kindliness, whose hearts are purest gold.

_{This poem is in the public domain. Published in Poem-a-Day on February 18, 2024, by the Academy of American Poets.}

A gentle reminder of how we do things:  🐱🐶🐦

• Do not troll the diary. If you hate pootie diaries, leave now. No harm, no foul.
• Please do share pics of your fur kids!  If you have health/behavior issues with your pets, feel free to bring it to the community.
• Pooties are cats; Woozles are dogs.  Birds... are birds! Peeps are people.
• Whatever happens in the outer blog STAYS in the outer blog.  If you’re having “issues” with another Kossack, keep it “out there.” This is a place to relax and play; please treat it accordingly.

• There are some pics we never post:  snakes, creepy crawlies, any and all photos that depict or encourage human cruelty toward animals.  These are considered “out of bounds” and will not be tolerated.  If we alert you to it, please remember that we do have phobic peeps who react strongly to them.  If you keep posting banned pics...well then...the Tigress will have to take matters in hand.  Or, paw.