Written to remember and honour our ancestors who survived over 400 years of slavery so that one day we will live again! Ubuntu- I am because they were first!
Lest we forget applies to our pain Lest we forget all of those soldiers too The ones who fought the Black battle And then all of yours too. Taking the broken pieces of slavery and trying to create something normal something safe - er something less pain-ful. But all of their abuse chokes me out like a noose And sure that may have changed But the laws are the chains And the policies that remain De facto noose By excuse To refrain from the perception That it is abuse the chains are just loose! Still my body remains shackled And lead back to my place And My mind remains controlled And my voice silenced So nobody will know my truth And I am supposed to forget All of the pain And All of the sweat And what about our blood, is it enough yet? Has it not fertilized enough worth yet? And you tell me to work harder But I can’t see past the sweat! And you tell me, Just be patient But that’s all my tears have been! So I cry We cry They even cry From the dead When the past is my present And my scars still remain And our lives still don’t matter I am living in that pain So how do you expect me -to forget?
Angela “Angee” Bowden is a poet , spoken word artist and story teller. Bowden writes largely in advocacy to educate and tell the truth about today’s society and speak the stories long forgotten. She speaks so that through her voice she may unmute long silenced voices of others.
See also: Angela Bowden: Be safe mom, and don’t get arrested! Thoughts on policing the NCA counter demo
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