The Middle Passage        

I had the pleasure of meeting author J.C.Wilson recently in Boynton Beach. Mr. Wilson is the author of Giant Word Search Puzzle Book of Notable Black Firsts and Facts. During our conversation Mr. Wilson mentioned the Middle Passage. Now many of us are familiar with the Middle Passage and know it references a time of slave trading in our history. For those unfamiliar with the Middle Passage, European slave traders departed from European ports, stopped in Africa to gather the captives, after which they set out for the New World to deliver their human cargo, and then returned to the port of origin. The Middle Passage was that leg of the slave triangle that brought the human cargo from West Africa to North America, South America, and the Caribbean. The average voyage took anywhere from five to twelve weeks. Millions of Africans perished in the middle passage.

There is a phrase often heard, "Only the strong survive," that could be accurately applied to those of our ancestors who survived the Middle Passage. Knowing, as we know now, the intolerable, inhumane, despicable conditions under which our ancestors were brought to the 'new world', we should remember 'only the strongest, in mind, body and spirit survived.'

We should acknowledge and rejoice in the fact that it is of this stock, genetic pool and heritage of strength and endurance under the worst of conditions from which we spring forth. Think about that - we were bred, voluntarily or involuntarily of the strongest of peoples.

With this knowledge and acceptance of our past comes responsibility; a responsibility to those who endured. Think about this as you go about your daily lives and routine. Does what you do bring honor to those who endured so much? What will our younger generations say of us decades from now? What is the legacy we leave behind? It is time to honor the strength, endurance, courage and indomitable spirit of the African Kings and Queens from whence we came and conduct ourselves accordingly.

R MOREEN CLARKE

© 2006

Poetic Artistry and New Voices on the Literary Scene

Strawberry

She breathes in deeply,

Absorbing the spring evening air which is rejuvenating

And beautiful

Like the way she feels inside.

In her hand

A strawberry…

With each kiss less of it is savored.

Her lips stained red and luscious

Like the juices from the strawberries

That quenched her thirst earlier that evening.

At this very moment

She knows this is where she wants to be;

On the brink of nightfall

Waiting for the stars to appear

So she can make a wish on the first one

For him to belong only to her.

Fireflies dance around them

Hidden in the bushes,

Mirroring the stars

Reflecting the twinkle in her eyes

When he looks at her.

This experience

May only be indulged by one;

Is she the only one on cloud 9

With her feet unable to touch the earth beneath?

Swinging back and forth

Circulating the smell of strawberries in his direction

Enticing his hunger for happiness

And quest for real love…

Does he feel the warmth she generates just for him?

The surges of love that emanates from her body

When her heart beats in synch with his?

Her skin glistens

Like the evening dew they are enveloped by   

Reminding him of the love that was made

Not long before sunset.

She hopes he sees her beauty;

Not in her eyes

Or lips or milky brown skin;

On the second star she'll see

A wish will be made

For him to see the radiance of her words,

Her thoughts,

And dreams of him.

As the sky dims

Reminding her she's one year older

Her eyes will follow the moon

Where they must separate until the sun rises again

East of her window.

You Have Enchanted Me

Excuse me Sir….. You’ve enchanted me-

And your aura has brought pleasure to me and your presence has touched me spiritually-

I am not certain where it is you have come from or if in that place you belong to someone & to be honest I don’t care-

I need to pick up on your scent or at least get a hint of your liquid remedy of which I sense is your masculinity-

You have placed a desire in me-

Your eyes they have a hold a story of a journey with a hint of pain-

I feel that if I could get to know you there’s some great thing I could obtain

Your essence has whispered to me and has advised that I’m the one your soul‘s been longing for-

Don’t you hear your inner being calling out to me?

Well….I hear you and I am coming

Running & running & running ….. Over myself to get to you-

Hold on I’ll be right there-

I’m reaching out to you ….but in that moment I realize I ‘m caught up in a day dream-

Yet still I say; damn…sir you have enchanted me-

©2005 Nubian Goddess