Elmina Castle Poem by John Sensele

Elmina hustle, bustle and castle
Dehumanisation in every muscle
Rebelling against shipment like chattel
To the Americas where us like charcoal in the jungle

They fail and sell us to the highest bidder
Who treats us less than cider
Multiplying their wicked wealth
At the expense of our dignity and health

As though the colour of our skin
Metamorphosed us into creatures lower than their kin
To whom dignity is a must
And whose self esteem and concept held in trust

Under no circumstances they can betray
But they asked us to close our eyes and pray
While our lives and livelihoods they stole
Together with our dignity and humanity as a whole

Exploiting and discriminating against us
In the new millennium where they fuss
Paying peanuts for our property and labour
Arguing to the them we aren't fit to be neighbour

Unless we bow down to the low status
They impose on us in the hiatus
That asks God why we suffer
Having broken our backs as an offer

In building their cities and utilities
Losing life in the strife where our duties
Count for nothing
In Uncle Sam where something

Went very wrong
From the time slavery grew strong
To emaciate our value
Forever painting us blue

Despite our plea to God
To free us from indignities that unfold
Since they stole us from Africa
To build failed state America.