Final Call

SEND FOR THE PIED PIPER AND LET HIM PIPE THE RATS AWAY.
SEND FOR ROBIN HOOD TO CLINCH THE ANTI-POVERTY CAMPAIGN,
SEND FOR THE FAIRY QUEEN WITH A WAVE OF THE WAND
TO MAKE US ALL INTO PRINCES AND PRINCESSES.
SEND FOR KING ARTHUR TO BRING THE HOLY GRAIL.
SEND FOR OLD MAN MOSES TO LAY DOWN THE LAW.
SEND FOR JESUS TO PREACH THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT.
SEND FOR DREYFUS TO CRY, “l’ACCUSE!”
SEND FOR DEAD BLIND LEMON TO SING THE B FLAT BLUES.
SEND FOR ROBESPIERRE TO SCREAM, “ÇA IRA! ÇA IRA! ÇA IRA!”
SEND (GOD FORBID—HE’S NOT DEAD LONG Enough!)
FOR LUMUMBA TO CRY, “FREEDOM NOW!”
SEND FOR LAFAYETTE AND TELL HIM, “HELP! HELP ME!”
SEND FOR DENMARK VESEY CRYING, “FREE!”
FOR CINQUE SAYING, “RUN A NEW FLAG UP THE MAST.”
FOR OLD JOHN BROWN WHO KNEW SLAVERY COULDN’T LAST.
SEND FOR LENIN! (DON’T YOU DARE!—HE CAN’T COME HERE!)
SEND FOR TROTSKY! (WHAT? DON’T CONFUSE THE ISSUE, PLEASE!)
SEND FOR UNCLE TOM ON HIS MIGHTY KNEES.
SEND FOR LINCOLN, SEND FOR GRANT.
SEND FOR FREDERICK DOUGLASS, GARRISON, BEECHER, LOWELL.
SEND FOR HARRIET TUBMAN, OLD SOJOURNER TRUTH.
SEND FOR MARCUS GARVEY (WHAT?) SUFI (WHO?) FATHER DIVINE (WHERE?)
DUBOIS (WHEN?) MALCOLM (OH!) SEND FOR STOKELY. (NO?) THEN
SEND FOR ADAM POWELL ON A NON-SUBPOENA DAY.
SEND FOR THE PIED PIPER TO PIPE OUR RATS AWAY.

(And if nobody comes, send for me.)