41 Write a Chant Poem about History

When Will You Know Slavery?

You’ll won’t know slavery

till you sit in the hold of ship chained

to the floor with your hands chained

to the collar round your neck.

You won’t know slavery

till you feel the ship heave

as babies cry for the mother

who tries to keep them close.

You won’t slavery till

you taste the cold sea water as it slams over

the deck and into the place where you lay

and you cannot escape even if you could swim a thousand miles back to

Africa.

You won’t know slavery

till you feel the master’s whip and

watch the welts rise on your father’s back.

You won’t know slavery

till you stare into the children’s eyes

and see no future.

You won’t know slavery

till you see a sign above a

drinking fountain that says

WHITES ONLY.

You won’t know slavery

till you see the bitterness

in the eyes of the man behind

the counter who won’t serve you.

You won’t know slavery

till you watch the man apply for a job

and know he will never get that job.

You won’t know slavery

till you hear 10 thousand marching

for the simple right to be human.

You won’t know slavery

Till you stand

On the mountaintop

And gaze into the the

Promised land,

You won’t know slavery

Till you stare

Into the eyes of

A black child and glimpse

a spark of hope.

You won’t know

slavery

till you

Have a dream that

You will one day be judged

Not by the color of your skin

But by the content

of your character.

You won’t know Slavery

till you taste

The tears of years

welling up inside

like the saddest song

you have ever heard.

You wont know slavery

Till you leave the

Chains dangling

In the wind

And rise up to

A New dream.

You wont known slavery

Till you feel

The new dream

Pounding like a drum

In your heart.

You wont know slavery

Till you

Taste

sweet

freedom

dripping

like a georgia Peach

down your cheeks.

Barry Lane