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White Ribbons Of Peace

"In memory of Eliza and Emily"  
Twelve Years a Slave, Eliza Berry's life marked by cruelty, a tragedy of slavery.


She rose to lower heights as she plucked the cotton with  
                               her bare hands 
Stooped over she pulled the cotton from the bolls, fine cotton 
                               that it was !   
Twelve years of slave-hood, her daughter taken for her beauty 
                                  was separated from her youth...
Haggard, hollow-eyed and filled with sorrow she worked soberly 
                                     for she would not be sold, she was not for sale ! 
Eliza wept tears of grief but, there was nothing she could do, 
                                       her daughter had been taken away from her. 
Come back—don’t leave me—come back, mama, was her last cry 
  until distance intervened and then all was finally wholly lost.

Foot Note: Eliza never saw or heard of Emily. In the cotton field, always and everywhere she was talking to her.  Only when absorbed in that illusion or asleep, did she ever have a moment’s comfort, afterwards.

Copyright © Mystic Rose Rose | Year Posted 2025

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Victor Buhagiar Date: 5/31/2025 1:32:00 AM I don't read much news but it is believed that slavery still exist, but in another form than working in the fields. How shameful humanity is. Great poem. Login to Reply

Arthur Vaso Date: 5/30/2025 11:04:00 PM Beautiful, when we do not learn from the past, well , its repeated sadly. Login to Reply

Paula Goldsmith Date: 5/30/2025 11:46:00 AM WOW!!! What a sad write/story you have here. Great Picture... Have a blessed day writing away............ Login to Reply

Sara Kendrick Date: 5/30/2025 6:17:00 AM A sad story you have told poetic form. I can't imagine how hard that must have been for that mother and child. Also, back in the day parents would send a daughter away to have a baby, and the baby would be adopted then never been seen by the mother again. Times have changed somewhat but slavery still exists in some forms like in sex trafficking and a woman married to or living with a man who treats her like a slave. I enjoyed reading this one. Sara K Login to Reply Mystic Rose Rose Date: 5/30/2025 10:21:00 AM yes dear Sara, there are many forms of slavery still today, as the past, except today its much more in the open, or it should be, thanks for reading Sara, God bless your beautiful heart !