Burden Of Bondage…… Aug,11— Aug,23 (Days To Ponder) ** Poem by saadat tahir
Burden Of Bondage…… Aug,11— Aug,23 (Days To Ponder) **
August 23- International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and Its Abolition.
Weighty bell's departing peel.
Rip ocean's heart keenest keel.
Sonorous rings, fate's deal.
Sinless "Kunta's" fated flip.
To unknown land from captured tip.
From ship to whip and sewn lip.
Shove to "Door of No Return"
stick and kick to branding burn.
Griot's that for centuries learn.
Deadened dreams hath recede.
Hands and galleon pick up speed.
Captives deep in bowels bleed.
Those that proudly hearded rams.
Crouched in callous foetid crams.
Imperiously thrown slivered yams.
Fist of beans to coops thrown.
Endless sprouting hate is sown.
Taking wind the sails are blown.
Pouting lips to capture drops.
Blood or urine from rafter slops,
drip from frayed deckhand mops.
In chink and crevice, Goree crept,
dried up eyes that fathoms wept.
Day and dream that none had slept.
A ladle of ordure on lucky days.
Floating revulse of gutted crays,
downed with valour a century pays.
Hope pitched in endless tear?
Hapless servile's infernal fear?
Creeking boards did wryly cheer.
Helpless held and lacking pick.
Villian, vassal, in shackles sick.
In gale and squall but brawn stick.
Inhumed to waves civility dies.
Corpse of truth that rotting lies.
Distant shores ring wailing cries.
Ages toiled but set not free.
Or creed to scripture insular be?
Brazen hunger's bodacious glee.
Never shall angels descend to save!
Words and wisdom prophets gave!
Chained outcasts freedoms crave!
Memory spins no vital crime.
To point out hands sullied in slime.
Through Giddy ruthless arrogant time.
Times work, brutal immanity wrote.
Whilst corns plume and egos bloat.
In tranches stashed, yet fetid float.
original
Islamabad
(Aug 14,2009)
HOROR.dic
Kunta = "kunta kinte" main character…ROOTS-Alex Haley
Door of No Return = where slaves were loaded unto ships….still exists
House of Slaves (Gorée) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Goree = representing Dakar Senegal and Gambia as ports of slave trade
Griot = a West African poet, praise singer, and wandering musician, considered a repository of oral tradition.(Madinka tribe-here)
(Credit where due)
Alex Haley - Born,
August 11,1921 Roots: The Saga of an American Family,
http: //en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yam
http: //www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/slaveship.htm
http: //en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_Haley
http: //www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-62724405.html
**
By no meaans the only incidence of slave trade...age old phenomenon.
In all times and geographical areas. Goes on with insane abandon in many areas even today. This the most well documented and vivid.
chk......mike old field -to be free
http: //www.youtube.com/watch_popup? v=qd7vwA9kXEM#t=63
compact and powerful composition with fine rhyme and rhythm! 10+
Your style of narration is very effective and you do full justice to the subject matter. The situation for asylum seekers in many parts of the world is not much better today. It makes no sense to treat each other like that 'Do unto others what you would that men would do to you'. If only that was put into practice! Well written and well constructed poem.
wonderfully written. reads wonderful aloud. true poetry.... excellent in the message.. great in the heart.
. The plight of the slaves captured in all its ferocity and horror in amazing rhyming poetry....... It is hard to believe that such indignity to human beings was meted out and still being continued Pouting lips to capture drops. Blood or urine from rafter slops, drip from frayed deckhand mops...... Can there be a more worse situation, ........ makes the hair stand on end! Absolutely wonderful!
I wonder still how one human can do it to another. So very well worded. This again will be apart of my favourite poems list
ROOTS - one of my favourite read and re-read. The plight of Kunta... and his daughter Kizzi Struggle for freedom... farther and farther The saga of generations captured... The victory over slavery... comes too late in chapter Joy of freedom, never touches the sky... Each line here, well narrates the burden of bondage... as in roots. Forever there are rules and laws... But.. Bondage... its here forever to stay... In one or the other way... Hefty in expression and diction. Great is this.... as always....
Absolutely great poem, Saadat. Would like you to read my poem ' The Door Of No Return ' on page 2, No.23. Regards Naseer
Your writes is vivid, but worst than slavery is still rampant in Africa - ethnic cleansing! ! ! ! !
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem
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4/25/2024 6:35:55 AM # 1.0.0.1119
A serious matter sung to lull the mind as usual....I mean your style of writing...no doubt at all that there is a musical drum in your brain to keep up the rhythm of your poems...as for this slave trade...forgetting is difficult as slavery is prevailing at all levels even today...so I suppose we should be reminded of that 'slave trade' not to pursue with that turmoil to humanity anymore....thanks for sharing