Ebony Skinned

slaves

Kente cloth adorns his body,
Complete with a youthful grin.
His soul is at its peak of joy, with
Pride in his ebony skin.

The sudden boom of an approaching gun
Startles him in his wake.
Whisked away by pale ghostly spirits
He must obey, for his life is at stake.

He is taken at gunpoint to a colossal ship
Upon which the torture does begin.
Week upon week of shaming dehumanization
Shatters his body and soul within.

He is bid to a cotton plantation.
Months of burning the midnight oil.
Branded. Identity stolen.
Months become years of merciless toil.

His ebony skin – once the pride of existence
Has become a symbol of lesser worth.
He longs to be freed from this cycle of life
But he is trapped on this hell upon earth.

Ritisha Baidyaray is a 13 year old from UK

Originally published in  Bookosmia.com 


SIGN UP FOR COUNTERCURRENTS DAILY NEWSLETTER


 

Tags:

Support Countercurrents

Countercurrents is answerable only to our readers. Support honest journalism because we have no PLANET B.
Become a Patron at Patreon

Join Our Newsletter

GET COUNTERCURRENTS DAILY NEWSLETTER STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX

Join our WhatsApp and Telegram Channels

Get CounterCurrents updates on our WhatsApp and Telegram Channels

Related Posts

The Angels of Gaza

(Based on true and almost true events) the weeping is an immense angel,the weeping is an immense violin,the tears muzzle the wind,nothing else is heard but the weeping. From "Casida…

Lament

For the sake of Godhe saidhis voice in tremor. For sake of the Earth and moon.For wind over trees.For the sake of mirror-wateron a moonlit lake. He shaped his heartinto…

Words I Can’t Find Anymore

Children eating grass, innocent, hungry and lostMothers soaked in red, wombs tremble in terror Searching for words I may write of the pain withinSearching for words I may speak of…

Sundays

I sit still, lethargicAnd add new wordsTo the great tapestryOf female sorrows From a distant cityOver the ruinsOf a war he never foughtA boy cries, there is no wayBack to…

Operation Gold Rush

It's all about the gold.Hasn't it always been?The allure, the beauty of goldin whatever form it takes —wealth, power, fame, ironclad security. In Gaza the rush is on.Tanks, bombs, missiles,…

IN the HUMAN WORLD

In the human worldwe have heroesand villainsand cowards. Those who defend lifetaking risks aboveand beyond self interestthose who destroy lifeand those we do not carewho play games ofselfish detachment and…

Join Our Newsletter


Annual Subscription

Join Countercurrents Annual Fund Raising Campaign and help us

Latest News