A poem a day for 2013 - day 170 - Juneteenth

On this Juneteenth I give thanks for my freedom
I honor my ancestors who were chained
Enslaved
Raped
Sold
Separated from their families
Their friends
Their home
Land

I cannot grasp fully the concept
Of working from can to can't
I do not know the sound a back makes
When bent too long from working in a field
For no pay
For beatings so horrendous
My splintered brain turns purple and prickle
To even try to imagine

Merciful Mother Father
Let me never know
Not even in my dream
The screech and blood
The ever stabbing knife
In the gut
In the soul
To watch babies I birthed
Gave name to
Stand on auction block
To disappear forever
O Heaven come catch my tears now

I honor my mothers and fathers
I celebrate your song and pain
I thank you for making way

There are no words for the pain and thistle of slavery
There are fewer words for Texas
Whose greedy and wretched and machete hearts
Refused to let go
My people
Would not free human beings
Law said was free
Your law

Selah
Selah

Thank you Mothers
Thank you Fathers

Thank You
Great Spirit
Who connects us all

Thank You for this day
This moment
This breath to breathe
This son to rear
This moon to lift my head

Thank You

For these arms to raise
High above this head
These free feet
Walk 'round this land

For these words
Spill out my mouth
So loud and free

This heart
This heart to forgive
To feel and remember
To love and make new

This life
To create and give back
Everything to
You