Sounds of howling hounds heard in the darkness,
hearts pounding while wading through the swamp,
doing their best to keep the chains from rattling,
husband helping pull wife moving so slow while holding their infant daughter.
Scars of beating from plantation owner sting in the coldness,
still they move ahead towards their only hope of escape,
from a traveling preacher who said all were equal in god's eyes
strange words for a slave to hear out of the mouth
of a man who didn't exude hate towards those of other colored skin.
Finally, they see his wagon sitting on a road, handing him their meager funds,
he helps them in the back, before his horse move quietly away.
Traveling by night, he sings hymns that soothe their soul, while giving them food,
convinced he is truly different that all the evil they have none.
Reaching freedom beyond the Kansas state line days later,
told to sleep in the barn, tomorrow he'll bring someone to remove chains.
They sleep without fear first time in days, next morning the barn door opens
and there stands a small crowd of men who drag the family to auction block.
Standing nearby the preacher watches as child is taken from mother and sold separately,
he prays, content served the Lord bringing new crop of slaves to his needy flock
his idea of equality meaning those he thought inferior are kept in their place.
Author notes
Prompt - Racism
This is based on the historical incidents in pre-civil war where a certain group of unscruplous beings masqueraded as members of the underground railroad, but in reality took the slaves the seduced up to Kansas and sold them into slavery after taking a bribe from the poor individuals. Sometimes the worst type of racism is one that pretends to be caring.
A contest entry
- ~* New Quickie PIF Series*~ by TwilightDazzles.
525 points, ended November 7, 2007, 6 entries
Gold trophy winner
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
Comments
1 - 10 of 10
-
WOW!!!!! twist at the end again... definitely deserving of gold!
-
-
Thank you for the wonderful comment.
-
-
Wow This is Awesome. Congrats on the trophy I feel for those poor slaves they had it rough. I can feel the fear in this poem and feel the somewhat relief they gained by escaping to a safe place. And people think we are so nice here in this country. Geez. This was just as bad as the holocaust. Great Write.
-
-
Thank you so mcuh forhte wonderful comment
-
-
This is heartbreaking, my friend...
The sad, sad part is that racism DID occur and still occurs
Why can't we just realize that we were created to be LOVING, CARING, and COMPASSIONATE beings?!?!?!?!?
Wow, this is powerful!
I, too, am at a loss for words
The best to you, hon! -
-
Thank you for the wonderful comment.
-
-
Oh My Word!
Now this is one sad piece
How can one trust when actions speak louder
than the words
Nobody should be a slave to their equal in that sense...but apparently color seemed to dominate..
(at that time...
Hypocrites hear a different song sung...
eventually
I will have to come back to this again for my voice do not escape my lips
Really sad
Keep that quill dancing Sweetness
Best wishes to You in the contest
Many blessings to You
and my Love
~ Desire~*~
-
-
Thank you darling for all the wonderful comments. You always shower me with such love.
-
Thank you for reading this one darling. It was really hard to write too. I only wish it was truth and a historical fact.
-
-
I agree completely with your Author's Notes, completely.
This write was truly saddening, it brought tears to my eyes and the fact that it was true tears at the soul even more. That dreaded trudge through the swamp was taken by so many individuals during their quest for freedom. This is exactly what I was looking for. Emotion, story, and history that still happens today. Thank you for this, best wishes in the contest!
Adding your comment:
1 - 10 of 10
