Thursday, February 7, 2013

BORN INTO SLAVERY-ROOTED IN LOVE

BORN INTO SLAVERY – ROOTED IN LOVE


We are the ancestors of the historical horrors
birthed into arms of a chattel society
born amidst slave blocks
fields of cotton and tobacco
dispensed into theaters of torture and doom

Women of the Diaspora, men of the homeland
chased into woods, along rivers, through valleys
hoist into freedoms curtained with provisions
probing nights shadows for illusory lights

We are the ancestors of the historical horrors
absconding the bondage – demarcating the lies
hallowed by truths once held as self evident
conceding the horrors- expounding the crimes

We are the nemesis to slavery’s horrors
nourished through caring, thriving on hope
forging a kinder more peaceful existence
born into slavery, yet rooted in love

From "ONE DAY" by Shirley Howard Hall

28 Days

28 DAYS

I need a year to be black

linguistics of typecasting
get it just right
pigeonholed in a bucket
cagy stereotypes
I need a year to be black

deprived of a home
in a white neighborhood
shunned in a racist white club
apply for a job whites only
test equal work equal pay laws

shoved in the corners
of fine restaurants
rejected avoided eschewed
passed over imprisoned and cheated
profiled in keen airports and schools

need a year to secure high blood pressure
sickle cell, diabetes and aids
to be told that my brain is smaller than most
wash dishes, clean toilets
refrain
need a year to honor the ace of spades
stand on corners, push drugs pot and pills
get welfare and food stamps
be single and poor
join a gang, learn to pilfer and steal

to exhaust all my savings
estrange my white friends
donate all my finery and jewels
void my accomplishments
distance achievements
in short to make me more like you

give me a year to practice the lies
to make all your falsehoods come true
to drop out of school
quit a well paying job
sell my home in the burbs next to yours

28 days just won’t do it
need a year to turn back the tide
or you can enlighten yourself and your friends
on the truths of Black History
Black Pride.