The Sounds of Blackness

The Sounds of Blackness

By Latorial Faison
Okinawa Stripes
February 28, 2014

In my heart there lies no defeat,
But in my bosom a triumphant and rhythmic beat.

And while my spirit dances with gladness,
I am quick to recall the sounds of blackness.

I hear the moaning and the wailing,
Of native Africans held captive, on ships sailing.

As though it were my youth of yesterday,
Whispering truths to ears in dark dismay.

The long, persistent Motherland call,
Of anxious hope and justice for all.

As though it beckoned from higher heights,
I hear the songs of steal away nights.

That disdainful whip, the startling crack,
The sound of fifty lashes to my brother man’s back.

We listened to hate’s hypocrisy, it’s rhetoric on religion,
And prayed for deliverance, complete with wisdom.

I hear Harriet’s footsteps and her hushing sacred sounds,
As she walked without fear, in search of freedom’s grounds.

To lead as many captives safely to northern light,
Her savvy spirit vowed to never give up the fight.

The sighs of relief at a kingdom finally come,
Freedom at last for us, the worst of sins to some.

But to the surprise and shock of a divided nation,
Came the lyrics of a long overdue slave Emancipation.

The endless cheering must have been loud,
While those who stood free, made their ancestors proud.

And the old African’s dream really did come true,
In a nation where his people were brought to be subdued.

Dr. King shouted “Free at last, free at last . . . “,
And his dream of a promised land, did come to pass.

The sit-ins, the marches, and the demand for equal rights,
Were necessary for those freed in darkness, and deprived
of light.

So, in my daily living, I do not dare ignore the sounds,
But am honored that my ancestors were strong and freedom
bound.

When fellowmen can’t remember the truth about this sadness,
Pause to share with them, one of the many Sounds of Blackness.



Latorial Faison, a Military Spouse living in South Korea.

http://okinawa.stripes.com/news/poems-about-black-history