(A Poem Commemorating the 10th Anniversary of the Slave Memorial at Mount Vernon)
No one asked us…what we thought of Jamestown…in 1619…they didn’t even say…“Welcome”…“You’re Home”…or even a pitiful…“I’m Sorry…But We Just Can’t Make It…Without You”…No…No one said a word…They just snatched our drums…separated us by language and gender…and put us on blocks…where our beauty…like our dignity…was ignored
No one said a word…in 1776…to us about Freedom…The rebels wouldn’t pretend…the British lied…We kept to a space…where we owned our souls…since we understood…another century would pass…before we owned our bodies…But we raised our voices…in a mighty cry…to the Heavens above…for the strength to endure
No one says…“What I like about your people”…then ticks off the wonder of the wonderful things…we’ve given…Our song to God, Our strength to the Earth…Our unfailing belief in forgiveness…I know what I like about us…is that we let no one turn us around…not then…not now…we plant our feet…on higher ground…I like who we were…and who we are…and since someone has asked…let me say: I am proud to be a Black American…I am proud that my people labored honestly…with forbearance and dignity…I am proud that we believe…as no other people do…that all are equal in His sight…We didn’t write a constitution…we live one…We didn’t say “We the People”…we are one…We didn’t have to add…as an after-thought…“Under God”…We turn our faces to the rising sun…knowing…a New Day…is always…beginning