The Beginning
ROOTS HAIKU
Forbidden cargo
harsh conditions on slave ships
the middle passage
a way to get wealth
voyages trafficking slaves
stolen from homelands
life long servitutde
kidnapped shackled and brought
here
auctioned off as slaves
savage Africans
were chattel property
without liberty
closed-minded heathens
visions of plantation life
and vile slave owners
scarred souls and wounded spirits
whipped branded and maimed
punished severely
resisting bondage
slaves stole away to freedom
fleeing three hundred years
chased caught bound or lynched
slaves were pursued for bounty
they were property
states fought for power
union discord caused war
and slaves were set free
descendants of slaves
share cropped plantations
work was all they knew
hearts of compassion
not all slave masters were cruel
willing "southern grounds"
how prized the values
the hope of recieveing land
something they could own
deeds to property
hertiage worth perserving
were ancestral graves
willed to my fathers
by the slave masterlandlord
is my legacy
just one righteous act
redeemed a slave master's son
what a profound move.
dedicated to Andrew J. Rux
the owner of the Rux family slaves. the land I speak of is located in Lunenburg County, Virginia. The land was passed from the slave masters son to the descendants of slaves. My grandfather and his brother purchased the land for $300.00 and it has been in possession of our family over one hundred years.
