January 2017

Enslaved Woman  –      by Steve Reid

I breed workers for my master.

I breed for my master.

I breed for the strongest in the yard.

I breed…  it’s hard.

I cook for my mistress.

I scrub my mistress.

I nurse for my mistress.

I am raped for my mistress.

I can’t love my children.

I have no children.

I have no man.

I can’t love a man.

I have no god, my god is dead.

I have no friends, my friends are dead.

I have no hope, my hope is dead.

I have no peace, my peace is dead.

The Pain       –       by Steve Reid

I cannot be a Man.

He takes you and I must let him.

Keep smiling for my master lest I am banished.

What’s worst?

Wanting to love you as an African man would, should? But can’t.

Sharing you with the scalded skin animal.

Or living, serving, these beast.

Where can I run?

Who can I run to?

Should I too be lustful towards our young maidens?

The values I remember from my land afar are counted as zero.

Oh the pain.

The tormenting pain.

My mind is slain.

Queen           –              by Steve Reid

I can’t stop trembling.

Captured, bounded, dragged.

Rawness, blood, shrills.

She and her swollen belly thrown to wide waters.

I bleed, yet the beast is upon me.

Laughter, ridicule, my scorn… no ease,

uwā, uwā, uwā.

Man child gouge them eyes.

Sold! Sold?

The beast is upon me… again

What am I?

I want to be… I was… Queen