chukwu nwere nkpuru obi anyi

they sailed us away, carting us off

as slaves bought from our own blood

sold by our own clans men

to the hands of our common enemy

we were chained and lined up 

walked the ridiculous distance to their ship

some of us gave up on the way 

some weak, shot and their bodies left by the way

we cried our eyes out 

ndi nna nna anyi ha no n’ura?

wait, are my forefathers drunk in beyond?

how could they be seeing this in folded arms

so we left our shores to return no more 

in the midst of the turbulent sea we roar off the ship

Emeka, Obinna and Gozie died of sea sickness

their bodies tossed into the sea without sympathy

for days we sailed without food

it felt like years as we cried in agony 

Amadioha seems to be on a leave

all the gods were on recess 

then our dibia raised the song

Obiora picked up with her sonorous voice 

the song came with strength 

we all felt our ancestral spirit in our veins

our voices progressingly loud 

irritating our captors 

when we showed we were defiant, never going to be silenced 

they pulled over at Durban Creek on St. Simons Island, Glynn County Georgia

they line us up at the shore, threatening with firearms

our dibia made a loud incantation

and we felt divine strength in us all

so we attacked

leaving none of them alive

painfully dismembering their bodies 

not pitying any that called for pity 

after the massacre, we still weren't fulfilled

for we were already in a foreign land 

home too far, we don't even know our bearing 

with pride in our blood

ancestral strength in our muscles

we refuse to be slaves

is it not better to die on our feet rather than on our kneels?

then we chorused "Mmụọ mmiri du anyi bia, mmụọ mmiri ga-edu anyi laa" in unison

as we matched into the sea with chains on

fulfilled and happily drown

Let the gods claim our souls

@talk2leigh

2 March 2021

6:28pm