When the Ocean was the Internet, U were New to Me

They ordered us

online.

Kept inventory

like The Gap.

Kept records

of slaves through

commodity and

shipping insurance

Listed

how many

were on

each ship

arrived in

each state

each country

each continent

each island

for each year.

Kept track of

how many died

how many got sick

how many got pregnant

how many were

thrown overboard.

It’s all written down.

People had paid

good money.

Paid to be

protected against

acts of God and nature.

Invented new business

models

when old ones grew

weary

through constant gaze

and inquiry.

Fought against

transparency

until public image

demanded they

support it.

Fought

for corporations

to be treated as people

using legislation

intended to give

slaves the rights

of humans and citizens.

Blessed is he

who tends

to ignore it.

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