Instilled In A Slave (One Of My Poems From My Book 'Times Have Changed And Life Is Strange' Poem by Ben Burgess Jr

</>INSTILLED IN A SLAVE (One of my poems from my book 'Times Have Changed and Life is Strange'
It all started when we saw their massive boats in the distance. They arrived and marveled at our existence. They manipulated rival clans and eventually broke through all of our resistance. They destroyed almost everything that we were building. Captured all the men women and children and kept us in line with their whip. Hundreds of us were uncomfortably tied to there ships, some weren't healthy enough to survive the long trip. Many different tribes chained together all sharing the same anguish. To prevent revolts they made sure that we didn't all speak the same language. Whenever they were in the mood they would randomly throw down dirty water and food and made an example out of anyone who showed defiance or an attitude. The sick and injured never lingered. They were stabbed with swords and thrown overboard. The ship landed with a full supply of us. As soon as they would untie us we would automatically become victims of a cultural bias. We could never forgive anyone that would deny us our liberty. We were constantly examined for our physical dystrophy and other signs of negative medical history. We were all confused not knowing or understanding where we had landed. Our women were viciously raped and we all were branded. Our families disbanded, and we were reprimanded by being beaten until we couldn't stand it. We were looked upon as fools and were thrown in the field to wield garden tools so we could pick their cotton. We were given the unhealthiest scrapes of animals to eat and often the parts were rotten. They studied our strengths to determine our use. They taught us to do the work with no excuse because disappointing the master would resort to us being hung with a noose. They wanted us to stay illiterate so we could remain ignorant, so we could never have the intelligence to become belligerent. Some brave men and women refused to lose and accept a life of servitude as their fate. They used that hate as fuel and tried to escape. Very few made it and those who didn't, made our morales harder but we still admired their courage and regarded them as martyrs. It was never in my plan to be separated from my family. They have taken my dignity and stolen almost everything that I hold dear to me. I'm trapped in this life of slavery. They can take everything. But they can't take what god gave to me. HOPE