New Poem by Kweisi Gharreau Rexamines the Fate of MLK Day
By Kweisi Gharreau | January 5, 2026 | Celebrity & Culture
We’re looking ahead to January 19, our official American celebration of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. This year, DivaGalsDaily is looking beyond the sound bites.
While the world prepares to hit “play” on the same 1963 clips, we are diving into the uncomfortable truth of the “Nightmare” Dr. King spoke of in his later years—a reality that feels far too familiar in 2026.
Here is a powerful spoken-word piece, written by our poet contributor Kweisi Gharreau, that challenges the status quo and demands more than just a dream.
MLK, dream to a nightmare
to all my people,
i got somethin’ to say
i got somethin’ to say.
my request is…
to mainstream media, podcasters & radio stations
please don’t play,
don’t play
the MLK
speech from that day.
i have a dream
free at last
free at last
thank GOD almighty
we are free at last!
at last
but at last,
we are still, last
and not free.
MLK in 1963
in dc,
he said, the I have a dream speech was wishful thinkin’
as he began thinkin’
about the Vietnam war.
today’s Israel hamas war
we are still, poor.
no housing,
poor… education
being killed for voter’s registration
the rise of inflation
wayward wages at a stagnation,
no universal healthkare
amerikkka* don’t kare
to no jobs,
still, no jobs.
watch MLK’s konversation from may eight, nineteen sixty-seven on nbc.
MLK kame to see,
the dream has become a nightmare.
i have this flight gear,
no flight here
i am goin’ to stay in chicago and, fight here
kause i have the right gear,
i write here.
i make it right here,
i will make it write here.
i don’t kare to hear.
as i know you want me to shut-up and dribble
as i know you want me to shut-up and dribble
as i know you want me to shut-up and dribble,
so i am goin’ to not, shut-up
and dribble my spoken words on the komposition of your mind,
as i B.I.G., my mind’s my nine
my pen’s my mac-ten,
my target, is all you people who are against me
to go against your ill will against me.
i know you are against me.
so i’m goin’ to RAGE against the machine for the people.
i Release Anxiety to Gain Expression for the people.
i write for the people.
republicans don’t kare about Black or, Brown people,
they konstitute for a kult,
halt,
party over people
democrats don’t kare about the people
they misuse the people,
saying economics over extremism,
but extremism always gets the economics.
Black and Brown kommunities gets no economics,
as we are fighting like Ukraine.
as we are fighting like Ukraine.
as we are fighting like Ukraine.
against america’s russian war against us,
Black and Brown kommunities gets no economic, justice.
it’s just us.
we will Ukraine
to gain
fair economic opportunities,
housing to universal healthkare
does amerikkka* kare?
about education or indoctrination
to voter’s registration,
as i katch the redline
across their redline
white men redline
the neighborhoods’ line
the system seeks to keep us in unwritten lines.
in twenty twenty-six
the red white and blue looks to celebrate two hundred fifty-years
still on the back of Black folks blood sweat and tears
can we MLK to see,
his i have a dream speech in 1963
spoken kourageously on nbc.
so, hakeem jeffries kan you see,
in dc,
as you are write there,
MLK’s dream, is still a nightmare!
