Deborah Johnson Poet Free verse

I Thought De' Was Chattel

Deborah Johnson, Copyright 2015

I thought de' was animals, so I didn't properly feed'em;
I'd laid down beside'em, and place my seed in,em.

 I thought de' was animals, so I'd take their black babies out the shed, and giv'em my white babies to breast feed instead.

I thought de' was animals, so I'd work the crap out'em,
and I'd cut off their genitals because I was jealous of' em.

I thought de' was animals, so I'd giv'em my last name 
because de' was my animals I ain't had no shame

I thought de' was animals, and I'd whipped'em until they bleed,
if I ever caught my animals trying to read.

I thought de' was animals, and I'd make'em dance
if I didn't like de' dance I'd burn de' pants.

I thought de' was animals, and I'd work'em from sunrise til sunset
now if de'it run off I'd giv'em some'em de'it never forget.

Now some of 'em...my chattel... was pretty darn stubborn, but if I couldn't tame'em I'd kill'em or sell'em.

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