To Hell and Back

Defenceless

Head in hands, he stared out the dirty window.

Manacled feet clanked as he shifted for a better view

in the fading light of fields where

the dusky figures bowed by years of bad food,

‘sleep and deep unhappiness.

Boss man raised his anger filled voice

Slapping her down for slaving slowly.

—————————–

Seth, be not my name,

but be chosen by Missus

when Mama gave me birth 

and now I be going to die soon.

Dey be going make my Mama watch

and my children too.

All of dem will be there 

to learn their law,

because –

you cannot draw some blood on a white man

without them taking all yours.

———————————

It don’t count here that he was raping

my wife.

—————————

Black, white and every shade

in between

and who decided that 

white was best?

When in fact 

it was often the worst.

Who chose to enslave first

and treat another

inhumanely

losing themselves in evil’s persuasion

that difference is theirs to control

and use to destroy

divine gifts of diversity.

—————————

Do we think that God

does not notice or care?

God says clearly,

‘There is no difference

between us then,

now, and always’.

Galatians 3:28, Romans 3:22