Ode To Our Past Heroes Poem by Benjuzzy Okpuzor

Dark sweating bodies
Bent forcefully, almost
In two shuffle up gang
Planks under the crushing
Burdens of enormous bales
Of cotton,

Rootless overseers drive
Them on with rawhide whips,
There the screaming children
Are torn from the arms and
Bosom of their weeping
Owners,

There after sold to the biggest
Bidder in auction bargains
There comes the creaking
Wooden vessels with holds
Crammed full of
Frightened,

Hordes of humanity bundling in
Unimaginable squalor, as they
Toil against their will and wish
Making carpets and carpentry
Amending roads and ruins
Planting

Sugar Cain to be caned with,
In pin locked mouth, forcing in
Young roses and ravaging
There they were abashed
And abused
And yet they bear it,

But rejoice for the
Sweating is now sweetening
Bliss forth radiance for the
Tears of yours is now the teasing
Water of glory.