Canadian Women's Hockey Fan

14 notes

Journey On

Am I the descendent of an Honored King or Tribal Chief
Did my ancestors die fighting to save me
when we were sold like cattle into captivity
I was not there
How could I know
lest word or deed
tell me so
Half of what you see
None of what you hear
This is what we were taught to believe
But what about what I feel
How many were dragged into the sea
linked in chains to the one who chose
death over inhumanity
I don’t want to live if I’m not free!
Now their empty, rusted, shackles adorn the ocean floor
But their spirits live on in you and in me
The elders sang, we are the seeds,
and we are the soil of our ancestors
So we must be strong
Through us they will live on
The soft, white cotton was so beautiful
But surrounded by the teeth of many lions
Each bud was stained with blood
Plant after plant, row after row
‘til crying out loud
I can take no more!
Journey on
From the cradle of civilization
to the worst humiliation
Branding irons, whips, and chains
to break my will and twist my brain
Finally, a President proclaimed
This isn’t right. Emancipate!
But those words alone didn’t end the horror
Hung in a tree for my children to see
Frozen in fear, to never forget
Is PTSD their birthright
And then we were told
You can’t eat here
Ride in the back
Same water
Different fountain
Same red blood
But your skin is black
One King said, We’re still not free!
Follow me, I’ll demonstrate
Has the price not been paid
From slave ship decks
To knees on our necks
From the soil of my village
and the bottom of the sea
From the cotton fields
and that balcony in Memphis
the blood of my ancestors cries out to me
Live proud. Live free.
Don’t let nothin’ turn you around!
Don’t walk around with your head hung down!
Even now standing on the shoulders of kings
We can see we are still not free
There are too many ropes in too many trees
Too many bullets, and too many knees
Journey on
I had forgotten who I was
until the night sky reminded me
The same sky my ancestors gazed upon
Imagining the world I would inherit
Judged not by color, but by merit
I may be the son of a King or Chief
I am descended from a strong, unbroken line
Survivors of injustice and brutality
The sons and daughters of a nobility
This is what I feel
What I’ve been feeling for so long
in my search for identity
A sense of heritage, pride, and family
I feel proud when I think of my ancestors
I want to feel proud when I sing
“My country tis of thee, sweet land of liberty”
I want to believe that it’s true
I want to take pride in the country
that was built on the backs of my ancestry
I am African, I am American
My roots are in Africa and America
I am African-American
We don’t have names on fancy headstones
And if I never find out who my ancestors were
the fact that I am here tells me
that they were an awe-inspiring people
And because of them, I am encouraged and inspired to
Journey on

Charles E. DeBerry
2021