THE SWEAT OF SLAVERY.

                                        
                                 

Your parents were taken away from you that fateful day.
 Made you a young mom to a baby under the scorchy sun.



Wondering where your parents are; Yonder they were gone into slavery.



You anticipated that each passing day brings hope. The grass grew thicker and greener as you stood by, hoping, praying and crying that your parents will some day return.


They were sailed over a thousand mile away forever they never returned.

You began growing into a bigger sister who catered for your little one.


Slavery oh thy sting, impoverished me, left me in desolation , dreadfulness and hunger.

For years, I watched my baby brother grow into a little boy. Tari had no idea our parents were taken away from us.

I remember; I remember vividly that day I went to the river banks to get water for Mama to cook snails and plantains.


I carried you with unconditional love because you cried all day when mama was gone to the market square. 

We heard noises all around the village, blood shattered as I hid behind a tree to see what was happening.

It was the masters, they were around as papa told me a story of the Caucasians. The gods who no man could stop, the men who could get away with anything they wanted.

I watched my neighbor give his baby brother water after running away; His blood flowed in my vein. 

The night drew closer, I panted, I was scared of animals coming to eat me up, I couldn't cook, I couldn't travel to search for my parents but I had to take care of someone.

I knew there was a higher power who watched over me and my baby brother daily.

I grew into a young boy, fighting and battling my fears. Courage came forth like a lion, I faced my fear, broke through my sorrows, fought my pain, buried my heart , killed my feelings, strengthen my heart, juggled my worries, kicked my troubling soul.



Tari was adopted by a Caucasian nurse who stopped the killing of twins, He was taken away into thin air, his pain I knew not, contact I never kept.


Pestilence a plaque I suffered, I fought hard among my friends who together struggled at the demise of our parents. I roared, I killed, I conquered; I became a warrior, A man whose heart pierced and ached for my Motherland Africa.

 A land shredded by bitterness and pain, a river where fishes were gone far into the ocean. A land where frogs  croaked and watch me sit outside hoping that the sun will shine someday.


No one can ever understand the anger of a black man, a man who lost everything , a man whose family was separated and sold separately. Plantations; a new home for my family either dead or alive, my generation destroyed as I await in anger to revenge.  

Degradation of a black man who could not defeat the masters who lured into my home and stole from me.


The sweat of slavery.
Poem by Elizabeth .A.
Published 2/4/17
dedicated to Black history Month.

Comments

Popular Posts