In my heart there lies no defeat

But in my bosom a triumphant and rhythmic beat

And while my spirit dances with gladness

I am quick to recall the sounds of blackness.

I hear the moaning and the wailing

Of native Africans held captive on ships sailing

As though it were my youth of yesterday

Whispering truths to ears in dark dismay.

The long, persistent motherland call

Of anxious hope and justice for all

As though it beckoned from higher heights

I hear the songs of steal away nights.

That disdainful whip, the startling crack

The sound of fifty lashes to my brother man's back

We listened to hate's hypocrisy, it's rhetoric on religion

And prayed for deliverance complete with wisdom.

I hear Harriet's footsteps and her hushing sacred sounds

As she walked without fear in search of freedom's grounds

To lead as many captives safely to northern light

Her savvy spirit vowed to never give up the fight.

The sighs of relief at a kingdom finally come

Freedom at last for us, the worst of sins to some

But to the surprise and shock of a divided nation

Came the lyrics of a long overdue slave Emancipation.

The endless cheering must have been loud

While those who stood free made their ancestors proud

And the old African's dream really did come true

In a nation where his people were brought to be subdued.

Dr. King shouted "Free at last, free at last . . . "

And his dream of a promised land did come to pass

The sit-ins, the marches and the demand for equal rights

Were necessary for those freed in darkness and deprived of light.

So, in my daily living, I do not dare ignore the sounds

But am honored that my ancestors were strong and freedom bound

When fellowmen can't remember the truth about this sadness

Pause to share with them one of the many sounds of Blackness. 

Copyrighted 2005 Latorial Faison

from 28 Days of Poetry Celebrating Black History (2006) by Latorial Faison