Testament

My father's abeng blew up my mother's womb
And I was chained there
Nine months in darkness drinking blood
Longing for my resurrection from the tomb
Longing to break the chains
Holding me before my birth to a carnal earth
Longing to stop him pounding
Pounding on the door of my bereft eternity
I carrying the weight of him already
The weight of them against the gravity
Of my life. My wings folded
Longing wield sword edge of flight against the sun
I burdened to undo what already is done
Have no finality here.

Look at me like an eagle flying in the sun
Blood dripping from my talons when the flight is done
O let me cleanse the world again
In the red flood that alters pain.

One day I was born screaming for a cause
I could not take kindly to tradition
Slapping black and blue a baby's **** ... laws
Must have been broken to beat the innocent
Unless it is a crime to come into this earth
To carry so much legacy
From maroon history to Jesus Christ, blacklisted
Like my my forebears: Shaka
Father of my grandfather's mother,
My other grandfather, Accompong warrior
Slain between the stones of Holland Estate and Mountain
Bridging the way for fleeing slaves
I come Cudjo less, Nanny less, merciless
Carrying on the war of generations
Calling no more for repatriation but reparation
Of human rights, human dignity, and racial sovereignty
Where Africa may find again its concord
Without false treaty and flimsy accord
Raping the Congo of natural resources and life
I come, the bushing through guinea grass
Tumbling kingdoms with wisdom and knife.
For this I was born, beaten at birth
Given resurrection from the night of earth.

My father sought to be civilize
Recite poems of Britannia's might and lies
And I, I was singing with the night
Reading a long history of pain to make write
Of my own proclamations, to declare
I shall not bend my knees, nor walk in fear
Where death measure us in dust
And vampires and conquistadores lust
For El Dorado buried in my disgust.
I am a man, and I will make my monument of truth
Upon the gravestone of the brute.
Copyright © | Year Posted 2009

Poem

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Megens Avatar
June 13, 2009 at 3:39 PM
you are so amazing and talented you deserve number one great write
 Avatar
June 13, 2009 at 7:30 AM
Wow! The vivid imagery conveys your thoughts in a profound way. Congratulations on placing first in Chris's contest! Enjoy your honor. Keep up the good writing. Karen
Pate Avatar
June 12, 2009 at 6:19 PM
Congrats on first place. Well deserved and well written. Passionate, expressive, and heartfelt.
Richards Avatar
June 12, 2009 at 4:52 PM
I just returned back on the soup to see that this amazing poem is a winner in Chris's contest...and couldn't agree with his decision more!! Such a winner are your poems ... each one...this was a masterpiece my friend! So deserving! Love, Carrie
Hudson Avatar
June 12, 2009 at 3:20 AM
Brilliamt capture and release of the reader. You deserve this win!-AA
Strand Avatar
June 11, 2009 at 11:30 PM
Congrats on your success in Chris's contest L'nass Rgds Brian
La France Avatar
June 11, 2009 at 7:29 PM
Congratulations on your first place win in the contest
Winter Avatar
June 11, 2009 at 3:52 PM
Congratulations L'nass on your most excellent First Place win in Christopher's contest! Love, Shar
Moreno Avatar
June 11, 2009 at 12:09 PM
Congrats on your big win in the contest...Raul
Guzzi Avatar
June 11, 2009 at 10:45 AM
Great write as usual...you spoil us...congrads on your 1st place win. Light & Love
Smalling Avatar
June 5, 2009 at 7:10 AM
I want to write so much more on this poem, it almost feels as though I want to write it again. Was it ganja? How can a mortal mind go to this extreme and then return to sanity ... you must have been curry favoring with the gods. Your history is welded to the world's history and your reality is lost in cosmic glory, how do you feel so many things at once without being annihilated by pain? Thanks for light and love.
Smalling Avatar
June 5, 2009 at 7:05 AM
Lnass, old chap, last time I heard from you, you made fun of me saying that you would like to write like me ... stop! I read this poem and know you will always write like you, for only you can write like you. You are the quintessential Jamaican rude bway, a rebel breaking the bonds of traditional thought and exploring a new self cosmology. This write is incredibly awesome. Bravo for the genius and power.
Burton Avatar
June 3, 2009 at 9:50 AM
Upon the gravestone of brute-- love that line alot there, also love your way with words. O.K. i am done now... enjoy your day.
Burton Avatar
June 3, 2009 at 9:48 AM
Had to read this beauty again and again. Love the poetic fire you display here. Enjoy your day.
Santiago Avatar
June 2, 2009 at 3:16 PM
I am grabbing this poem of yours into my favs list without your permission, because I really loved it, just brilliant!! Rgds, E.
Nutter Avatar
June 2, 2009 at 12:22 PM
OMG What a great write. It is no secret I can get into the dark stuff. Great write L'nass Shango
Burton Avatar
June 2, 2009 at 10:53 AM
I think I am love... with this poem. Loved each stanza, the words are straight forward and the meifores [ spelled it wrong] Its story written so well I am wondering how I ever missed it. Enjoy your day.
Tugaff Avatar
June 1, 2009 at 9:47 AM
Wooooow! This a great poem dear brother L'nass. I love it and really enjoyed reading it. Ernilando
Carty Avatar
May 31, 2009 at 3:38 PM
What an honour to read your work. Powerful words from a powerful Brother.
Oguejiofor Avatar
May 29, 2009 at 12:38 PM
wow this is strong. i can feel and relate to the passion in your words. fantastic. thanks for ur comments, very encouraging ;)
Cantu Avatar
May 29, 2009 at 12:30 PM
Holy cosmos and cows, pretty honest and disgusted with the world and universal history I see, yep indeed we as a specie have a big accumulation of black spots on our bannana-skin file; your words are strong, or they feel strong, even conjuctions and others used to link vocabulary material, so the poem stomps off moral and etics to make order; awsome @.@ thanks for the experience and the comments too jojojo xD
Ahmad Avatar
May 29, 2009 at 12:25 PM
"I come Cudjo less, Nanny less, merciless Carrying on the war of generations" Loved this line.... very good!
Ahmad Avatar
May 29, 2009 at 12:23 PM
Gosh, it's dark ... I loved this!!! Wanna read once more....!
Suzadail Jr. Avatar
May 28, 2009 at 9:20 AM
Never give up. No one should walk in fear nor bend a knee for any man. God Bless. Vince
Docherty Avatar
May 28, 2009 at 7:11 AM
Powerfully penned from the heart, it is only by learning from the past then letting it be, rather than repeating age old error that we can begin to change tomorrows child through todays love for one and other...Good and truth will win through!! Bravo on this superb write, kindest thoughts, Anna-Marie.
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