George Washington Carver was, Thank God, a black;
Was born into slavery, 1864;
Essentially orphaned, but never looked back;
Determined to be something, not seen before.
He centered on agriculture and the soil,
His people, as sharecroppers, near to despair;
Their land had been worn out, despite their toil.
He showed them how to bring the land back, do fair.
To change what they would grow, and take care of the land;
To center on peanuts and sweet potato fare;
And did it in ways which they could understand.
He seemingly would side with politicians straight.
Which we will now criticize…why side with them?
But Carter knew—if he was seen as being strictly black,
But all great men have knowledge where their fortunes stem.
They’d shut him down as if he wasn’t there, the usual track.
So he spent time convincing them that they were helped as well.
Less destitution, and less crime; which soon began to tell.
The work that Carter did would benefit us all;
In every agrarian pursuit, his name remains on call!
© Richard Williams