(Poem) “Ethnic Memory”
I feel your pain
smell the swelter that rises on a
afternoon in a wooden slave shack
hear chains in the metal sweat box,
a human bake oven,
fueled by the intense heat of a day’s hatred
shiny backs stinging with salt, blood, and earth under a relentless
southern sun
as Miss Lillie fans herself in a shaded knoll.
Your back ached,
deformed by subservience,
shoulders sloped like some fourth-class non-human,
as you cut the cane that kept Miss Lillie.
This was wretchedness
locusts whistling in merciless highs
and the humidity of rivers kissing your pores
200-years, not long
slavery’s undefinable sadness still exists
What would I have been?
field hand
breeder
cook
mistress
wet nurse
rebel
house servant
runaway who was hung or punished
Suppose I was born with a handicap or blind, incapable of
physical servitude
unfit for sale
Would they drown me as a child?
That may have been a blessing.
Copyright © Janis Medders Tobechi 2019
This poem titled: “Ethnic Memory” written by Janis; inspires the feeling, thought, and motivation to be free of binds at all costs. While also embodying the pain of bondage.
All Poetry at Urban Poems are for expression only. This particular poem is titled (Ethnic Memory). Artistic writing literature provides concentrated awareness; that is imaginative. Some forms of creative text attempt to express truths about life, tell a story, or honor God. In addition many different styles cause difficulty in defining. There are 9 different forms of poetry. What’s more, these forms are Haiku; which is an ancient form of Japanese expressions. There is free verse and it is a modern version. Its meaning is the freedom to write in any form.
Furthermore 14 lines Sonnet writers deal with love. Moreover there is Acrostic, which spells out a name, word, phrase or message with the first letter of each line of the poem. Made up of 19 lines and five stanzas of three lines goes by the name of Villanelle. Limerick creations are funny and at times can be rude. Ode Musically performed pieces are nice on the ears. Particular subject Elegy is clear and direct. Last but not least there is Ballad that typically tells a dramatic emotional story.
Full literature on poetry here.