Seeds Sown
twenty
souls deep within
freedom stolen from them
shackled and chained, so inhumane
no English to speak, no one understands
their only wish to go back home
treated like animals
they are now caged
twenty
hundreds
suffer same fate
in bowels of ships they wait
placed on blocks and sold like cattle
children separated from their mothers
possessions they've become
lives not their own
hundreds
thousands
would make the trip
destinations unknown
to plantations with cotton fields
many lifetimes they would be chained and owned
some try to escape to freedom
their skin records the pain
our shame to bear
thousands
millions
of descendants
now ask the reason why
mans cruelty to man astounding
the whole world watched in silent agreement
as so many suffered and died
prejudice left to grow
wind blows the seeds
millions
defined
what is mans worth?
how is it determined?
by the blue of his shining eyes
or the color wheat in his flaxen hair
is not great worth his heart and soul
not the color of skin
goodness within
defined
Copyright © Bernadette Langer | Year Posted 2006
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