A Letter of Our Pain

SLAVERY

To Whom It May Concern

You divided a nation against itself

You made one people think they were high and mighty

And made the other people feel low and lesser

My poor and feeble ancestors who were strong to endure you

You lied and made them bound from the head to their feet

You demasculated their men

They begged you for their freedom

You defeminized their women

They gave you what you wanted for nothing

You dined in the cares of this world

And you drink the cup of adultery

Thousands of generations now have been lost

On your boats of greed and pride

And did you pay one dime

For all your crime

You only gave us what we should have had

Already opportunity that we should have been given

Yet your crime echoes in our minds

As children of slaves and even in the masters’ children

I can’t forget what you’ve done to me

Cry the children and the divide that is now in our hearts

Every disagreement comes to you and every argument is about what you did

Our homes are divided and our inheritance has been uprooted

Slavery I tried to not think of you much

But I do and your lies