Lord, Help Us

DAVE, 1832

 

Why didn’t Master Drake

leave a will?

I know that means

the auction block is waiting.

The voice of the auctioneer,

I remember it well.

“He’s country born,

good teeth,

straight back.”

Now my back aches

from working clay,

and two teeth

are gone out of my mouth.

I have Lydia and her boys,

who are old enough

to be sold away

to work.

 

The boys, afraid to sleep,

cling to their mother

like baby possums.

Could this be our last night

together?

I rub their backs,

first John, then George.

Go to sleep, boys,

go to sleep.

Lydia sits close to me

and reaches for my hand.

 

Lord, help us

and keep us together,

for we have lost too much

in this world

already.