slavery poems series 2

white girl

how dare I
white girl
make a quilt
about slavery?
maybe thats why I can
because for some
it still hurts
too much
10/14/98

underwater

there are no graves for us
we died in the middle passage
shitting our guts out
vomiting
it hurt
until peace and rest came
at last
and they threw us overboard
missing and gone
our families grieved for us
not knowing
if they grieved for
our deaths
our lives

10/14/98

white blood

I can see the faces
of the men who
owned us
in our children
their color
changing
who we are
the stories of our ancestors
that gave us courage
are lost
stained with another race
we become
someone new
a new people



the midwife

I show you plants
deep in the woods
make you heal
make you miscarry
I show you how to stitch
how to catch the baby
I help them die
I help some to live
bring on the flow
bring out the child
bring down the fever
this a deep wisdom
you got to stop
and hear good
what the people say
the right plant heal
make stronger
the wrong plant kill
got to do it right
got to stitch together
got to boil it up
keep it clean clean clean
before you cut the flesh
before you sew it up
I learn this from my mother
and the old woman
secret woodsie wisdom
help to save us
sometimes I got to watch them die
worse for me when
I cant help
my stuff aint big enough
for every time
every wound that comes from God
I cant heal
and some wounds help
by talking
and some by sitting by
and some
I cant do nothing at all
those kind hurts me worst
I thank God
He made me this
and for the children
come out in my hands
grow up fine and strong
and beautiful
I put blessings on them
all of them
help them to grow
that's the best part