I really love the poetry of my people! Today, I share with you a poem from Sterling A. Brown, a post renaissance poet. STRONG MEN The strong men keep coming on.-Sandburg They dragged you from homeland, They chained you in coffles, They huddled you spoon-fashion in filthy hatches, They sold you to give a few gentlemen ease. They broke you in like oxen, They scourged you, They branded you, They made you women breeders, They swelled your numbers with bastards, They taught you the religion they disgraced. You sang: Keep a inchin along Lak a po inch worm... You sang: Bye and bye Im gonna lay down dis heaby load... You sang: Walk togebber, chillen, Dontcha git weary... They pointed with pride to the roads you built for them, They ride in comfort over the rails you laid for them, They put hammers in your hands and said - Drive so much before sundown. You sang: Aint no hammah In dis lan Strike lak mine, bebby, Strikes lak mine. They cooped you in the kitchens, They penned you in their factories, They gave you the jobs that they were too good for, They tried to guarantee happiness to themselves By shunting dirt and misery to you. You sang: Me an muh baby gonna shine, shine Me an muh baby gonna shine. The strong men keep a-comin on The strong men git stronger.... They bought off some of your leaders You stumbled, as blind men will... They coaxed you, unwantedly soft voiced... You followed a way. They laughed as usual. They heard the laugh and wondered; Uncomfortable; Unadmitting a deeper terror... The strong men a comin on Gittin stronger... What, from the slums Where they have hemmed you, What, from the tiny huts They could not keep from you- What reached them making them ill at ease, fearful? Today they shout prohibition at you Thou shalt not this Thou shalt not that Reserved for whites only You laugh. One thing they cannot prohibit- The strong men..ing on The strong men gittin stronger. Strong men... Stronger... -Sterling A.Brown
Posted on: Mon, 04 Nov 2013 17:36:04 +0000