Visual Poet’s Thirty Days of National Poetry Month 2011; Forks of the Road Poem

On this day of National Poetry Month 2011; my poem, visual poetry Forks of the Road honors all of the souls sold into slavery at the Forks of the Road site in Natchez, Mississippi.   

Africa’s black ivory; Africa’s black ivory

The Natchez, Mississippi millionaires, code

Some down the river, as cargo, they did arrive

Others, shackled and herded thousands of miles

 

Somberly, one by one; their steps dragged and unfold

Many died; others made it, barely alive

But, they were sure to bring a fit piece of change

In pens, all were forcibly flowed

Once fattened, revived, greased and creatively clad

They were readied for sale, with new nightmares, soon to unfold

 

Many lives were forever altered with “Bought” and “Sold”

Feel the anguish as spirits stir and moan and salty tears they unload

Let us not forget the gut wrenching pain of our ancestors

As flesh was peddled and peddled at the Forks of the Road…

An Excerpt from Forks of the Road

Copyright by Deborah Young, Visual Poet