OUR HISTORY

The white men brought their voyages to our shores

We accepted them with open hands Even though their looks shocked us to our very cores

Took them to our leader and made them feel at home.

They were in awe of our land and stunned by the biome

Our king took pleasure in showing them around our safe haven

Then they brought to us news of a creator and glad tidings that await his followers far above us in heaven.

Taught us a different lauguage and we got so absorbed that we felt at ease and dropped our weapons

They gave us the Bible and the minute we looked down to get it,  we missed the flaming beacons

Now we had the bible and they had our land

They showed us no mercy, forced themselves on our women, and fed the men who dared to stand up harsh sand

We were forced to toil and moil for them in Our own land

Bounded by chains and shackles from our necks to our calves

Whipped non stop with little or no food for ourselves

We watched our fellow brothers our kids, and our wives lose their lives

What they did was uncalled for, totally inhumane and horrific

They stole our artifacts and took our abled men as slaves to help them build their land, how terrific!

We struggled to get our lands back from their tyrant hands

They still treat our brothers over there like shit rendering them powerless

But we all know what they are scared of lies in our skin, the blood they have on their hands and our prowess

Now their lands blooms from our hardwork and it houses our art works

They claim to make history hiding out all the gory details. what do they take us for? Dorks?

 The truth lives on in our black skin and our heart bleeds with forgiveness even though they never asked

Because we can only be forced down if our success is revenge driven or our heart is filled with rage and hate left unmasked

We have risen from the shackles,  slowly healing from the pain and we're on a quest for greatness

Our homes are still open to you with the same hospitality of our ancestors But that's not because we forgot the evil you hid in our history, we Just refuse to choose war over our humanity and happiness

 ~Maryama