Escape From The Georgia Plantation

Escape From The Georgia Plantation
© Surazeus
2018 07 06

I push the shovel in mud of my heart
to dig the trench around my secret hope
and build wall of stones from mountain of fear
to hide the faith in people that I lost.

Sweat drips off my forehead into red clay
which blurs my eyes when I gaze at the sky
that shimmers blue as the ache of despair
when white clouds of hope ignore my mute plea.

The tall man on the white horse looks away
so we lay our shovels quietly down
and slip into cool shadows of old trees
where we breathe the spirit of liberty.

We run while the sun glows at our right hand
and hide in bushes by the laughing stream,
then run while the sun glows at our left hand
and hide in trees while the stars twinkle bright.

We hear hound dogs bay in the pink dawn light
so we run inside the creek in bare feet,
then cross the wheat field to the broken shack
where the old woman hides us in the cellar.

We smile at each other in candlelight
and eat hot apple pie in silent night
while hound dogs bay at the indifferent moon
and the wind calls our names with ancient tune.

In the darkness of hope we hum our song,
chanting the sacred words of liberty
that we long kept hidden in silent hearts
but sing soft now to the indifferent moon.

We follow the new underground railroad,
walking through silent woods for thirteen days,
and keep songs of hope tangled in our hearts
while the men on horses hunt for our ghosts.

The old man meeting us by the oak tree
says, "You crossed all the hills of Tennessee,
and now Kentucky you will leave tonight,
just over that ridge and you will be free."

We descend the hill to the river shore
and step our feet into swift-flowing stream,
and breathe deep the spirit of liberty
to swim the cleansing waters and be free.

Dogs howl and the men on horses shoot guns,
so I turn back as they all dive in deep
and distract the hunters while they escape,
luring the slavers while the slaves swim free.

I run through woods on the wings of the hawk,
looking for the spot where I can fly free,
leaping along the cliff above the stream
while snarling dogs snap at my heels and howl.

I leap to dive in the waters of freedom
and for one moment fly in the blue sky,
and he shoots the bullet that stings my heart
so I fall free, splashing in liberty.

For thousands of years to the end of time
I float alone in the Ohio River,
chanting prophecies with voice of Orpheus
while you sing in church of our liberty.