Richard Lamoureux | + Follow Poet |
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Boats of Shame

Bring your guns
Bring your boats
Boats filled with ghosts
Boats weighted with chains
Chains that will one day break
Chains that will carry
Carry us to Zion
Carry our pain
Pain born of separation 
Pain that preceded
Preceded our birth
Preceded our rising
Rising here within a new nation
Rising for we know
Know that Ja is merciful
Know that Abraham smiles
Smiles upon the righteous
Smiles though our tears
Tears that lift
Tears of joy
Joy born 
Joy gained in freedom
Freedom that we took
Freedom we reclaimed
Reclaimed by us a strong people
Reclaimed by transcendent men
Men of purpose
Men who are Ja's chosen people
People who know our purpose
People who cry
Cry for our babies
Cry for Mother
Mother Africa 
Mother of all children
Children who ripped from her
Children who grew pale
Pale as papyrus
Pale for they lack compassion 
Compassion died
Compassion exchanged for greed
Greed that intoxicated
Greed for flesh
Flesh of coco
Flesh subjegated to their wanting
Wanting more power
Wanting things to stay the same
Same for us men
Same promise to set free
Free
Men




For Marugu MO's "Race Relations Contest".

Copyright © Richard Lamoureux | Year Posted 2016

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Karam Misra Date: 6/9/2016 10:03:00 AM Excellent blitz, Richard. Congratulations on your win. ~karam~ Login to Reply Richard Lamoureux Date: 6/9/2016 1:49:00 PM Thanks Karak

Dineen Williams Gault Date: 6/9/2016 8:57:00 AM Fantastic use of metaphor, such a well written expression. Congratulations! Login to Reply Richard Lamoureux Date: 6/9/2016 1:50:00 PM Thanks Dineen, much appreciated.

Lukas Ficklin Date: 5/26/2016 9:27:00 AM I can see I will be learning quite a bit form your writing Richard! Know that I will be reading your work :) Login to Reply Richard Lamoureux Date: 5/26/2016 9:33:00 AM You are kind, thanks for commenting.

Timothy Hicks Date: 5/26/2016 12:56:00 AM The way you wrote this blitz was masterfully done, with great flow. Though very despairing and vivid with the scene of the slave ship, it didn't overpower the small rays of hope sprinkled through out. I was never able to make those last two words of the blitz form make a lot of sense, but even there, you pulled it off. A FAVE for its power and its history. Login to Reply Richard Lamoureux Date: 5/26/2016 7:51:00 AM Thanks Timothy, I appreciate you reading one of my older ones.

Mark Peterson Date: 5/9/2016 7:49:00 AM Wow! This poem and your ability to have written it blow me away. Login to Reply Richard Lamoureux Date: 5/9/2016 8:02:00 AM What a nice thing to say Mark. Thanks.

Arthur Vaso Date: 5/7/2016 6:29:00 PM I came to read this again, sometimes is hard to put in words why a poem resonates with you, ironic for a writer I know, but sometimes true! Login to Reply Richard Lamoureux Date: 5/7/2016 7:51:00 PM Hi Arthur, thanks for giving it another read.

Casarah Nance Date: 5/6/2016 8:14:00 PM You did awesome with message and form, hugs xx Login to Reply Richard Lamoureux Date: 5/7/2016 10:57:00 AM Thanks and a big hug back.

Arthur Vaso Date: 5/5/2016 10:11:00 PM Now thats a mouthful, great write, and a poem one could contemplate for hours upon hours! :) Login to Reply Richard Lamoureux Date: 5/6/2016 7:44:00 PM Thanks Arthur, an hour will be fine.;0)

Andrea Dietrich Date: 5/5/2016 8:18:00 PM Wow, I've been blitzed with POWERFUL words. Loved the symbol of the boat and all it implies. How it all comes down to just let us all have our freedom. Did the contest have to be Blitz? I should check it out. Login to Reply Richard Lamoureux Date: 5/6/2016 7:45:00 PM It was the preferred form so I gave it a go. I haven't done many of these.

Eileen Manassian Date: 5/5/2016 3:17:00 PM :) You always have a way of turning the difficult into easy. This type of poetry is so hard for me to manage, but you did manage and come up with a worth while topic to boot. I'm so impressed by your word finesse. Hugs Login to Reply Richard Lamoureux Date: 5/6/2016 2:48:00 PM Hugs back, crazy busy so just a quick response.

Anne-Lise Andresen Date: 5/5/2016 1:44:00 PM - Really wonderful, Richard - Luck in contest - hugs // Anne-Lise :) Login to Reply Richard Lamoureux Date: 5/5/2016 2:06:00 PM Thanks Anne Lise. Hugs Rick.

Walter T. Ashe Date: 5/4/2016 10:13:00 PM Though this form I've only seen once, this write is powerful, informative and deeply felt to the heart! The more I read it, the more I feel it's impact! Login to Reply Richard Lamoureux Date: 5/4/2016 11:22:00 PM What a great comment Walter. I tried my best to put myself in the right frame of mind to take on the persona of those who were ripped from their homes.

Gary Bateman Date: 5/4/2016 12:17:00 PM Hello Rick, A Most Excellent commentary which is quite moving and exactly to the point. (I've never tried one of these blitz writes before. Looks interesting.) A "7" absolutely!! Cheers and Best, Gary Login to Reply Richard Lamoureux Date: 5/4/2016 12:48:00 PM Thanks Gary, much appreciated.

Lin Lane Date: 5/4/2016 7:42:00 AM The links in this Blitz were very nicely interwoven, Rick. I've yet to try this form, but I'm inspired by your write. Thanks. Login to Reply Richard Lamoureux Date: 5/4/2016 8:24:00 AM Thanks Lin.