Best Black African Amerchildren Poems
They came and walked on this soil,
hands and feet shod in chains.
They marched through unending roads,
a highway of pain and sorrows.
The shackles of slavery burdened their souls.
They awoke each day,
with fears in their minds and prayers in their hearts.
They died with a song on their lips.
They passed on with a message of hope.
When you cross over the rivers,
tell our fathers that our chains are hungs as memorials.
We have stayed too long on the road,
we have finally reached our homes.
We are dinning in a large house with greatlights,
our children are walking happily on the streets,
the Nations stand in awe of us,
as they have become witnesses of what is possible.
Our gown of mourning has been torn,
we are clothed with a marriage gown.
Salvation has come with healing on its wings,
for our father's captivity is turned around.
If you hear us cry today,
if our tears fill your censers above,
think not that we are in chains.
for today our dream is born.
For we cry in our songs,
we cry in our prayers,
we cry through our smiles,
we cry because change has come.
We will teach our children this story.
The story of redemption.
Tell our fathers,
to sleep in peaceful bliss.
For though the struggle may continue,
we know that victory is certain.
Old empty bed...springs hard as lead
Feel like ol’ Ned...wished I was dead
What did I do...to be so black and blue
Even the mouse...ran from my house
They laugh at you...and scorn you too
What did I do...to be so black and blue
I'm white...inside...but, that don't help my case
’cause I...can't hide...what is in my face
How would it end...ain't got a friend
My only sin...is in my skin
What did I do...to be so black and blue
How would it end...ain't got a friend
My only sin...is in my skin
What did I do...to be so black and blue
-Louis Armstrong
I feel heavy walking around in the daylight
feels so heavy on my skin that absorbs the gentle rays of the sun
...but not so absorbing of the push down glares
glares that cut you down on side walk
peers that that dismiss you in the diner
glances that pass you over in some interviews
there aren't many...
not much towards me at least
times have lessened the views of skin color and cultural differences
but it hasn't diminished
"and yet I hope my children will not go through discrimination like I did."
that is what is what my father said.
"and yet I hope my children will not go through discrimination."
that is what I will say.
" and yet I hope my children will not know about discrimination."
that is what my son will say...
New Orleans, sister city to Port Royal kin
Where all our pirates children separated
Was by water and not by pigmented skin
O how in history you two stand ill-fated
Orphan children in a sad state so despised
By subtle policies unmasking subtle lies:
Man's heart more callous that storms denies
Its own humanity in each humanity it despised.