Dangling Souls

Dangling souls, whipped and chained

Freedom was never our dream

Freedom was common to the sane

It is said that life makes one promise,

That you live, then you die

If life looked through my eyes,

Life would know-you live and be dead inside

I've been sold, I've been bought

I've run like hell, I've been caught

And beaten like a rebel

Not by man

Man has compassion

I know it was the devil

Now

When I look in that reflection glass

I see not me, I see someone else

It's for justice I plea

Because I've been robbed!

Robbed of myself

Robbed of my identity

My name

I accept torture in exchange for being slain

They've stolen my freedom

They've stolen my choice

I sing yes Mas'ser

No Mas'ser

They've stolen my voice

And I've been raped!

Raped of my culture

My language

My African creed

They've encountered my private parts

And fulfilled their sexual needs

Because I'm owned like an item

I'm no longer free

My prides been reduced

Once it was whole

They may have captured me and my folk

They can't capture my soul

It's mine to keep

Only the highest power will maketh

One day

I was chained to their water vessels

Almost drowned by their floggings

Treated like a dog

An animal

Like dirt

It is written from dirt we are made

But are only blacks made of dirt

It seems that only blacks are slaves

But life will go on

It must

So they say anyway

So I must go on

'Till I get freedom one day

And I will

(c) Jamise L. Dames, 1997