Daniel Harris, poet, scholar, environmentalist, and long-time Not in Our Town supporter, had the following poem accepted for publication in the Connecticut River Review. Daniel has given us permission to publish it on the blog. Daniel invites you to visit his website, danielharrispoet.net.
When
Since time is running out for me
to say about
the currents of oceans
gulls on their errands
the wind-lashed palms
And time is running out for me
to say about
the horses, their riders
beasts of burden, oxen
yoked to plow the many fields
And time is running out for me
to say about
the other chattel
people caught and shackled
shipped and bought
enslaved for free labor, profit
While time runs short for me
to say about
women abused to breed
the owners who used them
children, men schooled by whip
Time’s run out for me
to cough up phlegm and tell
of whites who told
in schools the whitest lies
that could be told
about our liberties
(and boy! was I sold! )
So time keeps running back to me
though I at the sill
poise to falter
© Daniel A. Harris
Reblogged this on Princeton Comment and commented:
May time keep running back to me — and may I use it wisely.