October 09, 2012

A Slave's Revolt

A Slave's Revolt by Latorial Faison

It's a vision ever emblazoned in Heaven's 
truth of dismal days lived by men back 

then, times of stoop-side Sunday Schools 
in Southampton County. Brother Nat was 

preaching to a people caught up in a white 
man's deception he felt moved to rebel 

against.  He was more than a preacher without 
a pulpit; he was a slave with a calling to call 

his brethren to everlasting arms"The white 
man's evil, and we want to be free, the signs 

keep a comin' and they a pressin' me." It was 
the heart of the black, Virginia, Jerusalem,

white way, till the blood of freedom appeared
and painted God's skies, miraculously in  

black Moses’ eyes. Anointed, sanctified, soul 
on fire, the slave was called to congregate, not 

abdicate. He was chosen, and the time had 
come for us to walk through the fire. Not a 

quest, but a calling, to leave none living,
none breathing. For the air God gave all, 

was stolen, stripped, taken and whipped out 
of us; they bled a dark people of life running 

through their veins, mocked them with 
husbands, wives, and mulatto baby cries 

until it was, to no surprise, justified rebellion
a righteous revolt, a song of silent amen's.


Copyrighted February 2005 Latorial Faison | www.latorialfaison.com
from 28 Days of Poetry Celebrating Black History (2006) by Latorial Faison