This Black History poems blog is another of my contributions for the website
It is written from the perspective of a little slave girl in the 1700s living with her father and sister in a slave hut on a cotton plantation in North America
I live in my Pappy's hutMy name is Kizzy ClayMy older sister is ElizaI'm six years old today
My Mammy died of feverEliza's ten, she cares for meI don't know our exact address
But we live in Slavery
Pappy works in Mr John's fieldsPlanting cotton and riceYesterday, he was whippedWhich wasn't very nice
Black History Poems
The overseer is very cruelHis name is Nathaniel BlackMy pappy cannot work todayHe's got deep cuts on his back
Oh, I can see Mr John's little girlHer name is Missy RoseShe lives in the Big HouseAnd wears very nice clean clothes
She's pretty and has white skinHer mother is also deadBut she has two aunts to care for herShe sleeps in a proper bed
Black History Poems
She has a beautiful ponyWhich lives in a stable 6 feet 4It has its own blanketsAnd nice clean straw
Our hut is also 6 feet 4Two families have to shareIts very dark and we sleep on ragsEliza says it isn't fair
Pappy says his Grandpappy's Pappy"Was a chief before coming here
Once proud and free, he was enslavedTo live in chains.....and fear
Black History Poems
All the young strong villagersWere forcefully taken awayCrammed into sailing shipsBound for the USA
Many died on the wayA ship sometimes would sinkOr they died through lack of medicineOr not enough to drink"
Pappy says his Grandpappy's PappyArrived very much aliveHe was a strong healthy 20 year old
He died, broken, at 35
Black History Poems
Pappy says that one dayAll slaves will be freeWe'll get a President who believes in itJust you wait and see
Pappy says he has a dreamThat a King will come one dayAnd they'll listen very carefullyTo all he has to say
He says that he has a dreamThat blacks and whites will live as oneLiving free, in a proper houseJust like Mr John
Black History Poems
He even dreams that maybe
There will come the dayWhen a black man becomes the PresidentOf the USA
Eliza says he's crazyOr that's how it seemsBut she says when life is very hardA man should have his dreams
Black History Poems
One day, perhaps, a little girlWill have a story readBy her Pappy, before she goes to sleepIn her proper bed
But until then, I'll be contentWhat will be, will beNighty night I must goThere's a dream that waits for me
Jon Bratton 2009
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This 'black history poems' blog page is copyright jon Bratton 2009
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