Poetry

Standing aloft in our great Square You command our attention as you stand and stare Though you are but metal and hammer and fire The true you, a revolution, did sire For the Dutch, you worked and sweated and worked and despaired But your future would never be to live under the spear You killed your overseer And turned the Big House into cinder You gathered your comrede And to the Corentyne, you led Together with your Akan brother Accara And your commanders Atta and Acabbre, Goussari and Cosayel You would lead the 2,500 strong, to rebel You gave them all unity and focus From the youngsters, ripe with promise To the well-seasoned elders whose backs were beaten by malice You had all been plucked from your rich and bountiful lands Manacled and shackled and packed and stacked in the bowels of boats like rats Even our industrious first peoples were usurped into servitude Carib and Akawaio and Arawak too Many would succumb to a Trans-Atlantic plague called Small Pox And only death to them, would ensue When our Amerindian brothers didn’t suffice You, and your brethren, would take their place And the cat o’nine tail helped you, keep up the pace During your rebellion You struck fear into Dutch hearts An independent African state you wanted As you tried to force them, to depart This, alas, was not meant to be Aided by their French and English brothers The Dutch sailed down the mighty Berbice River seeking to seize back their power In time, the once promising revolt Perished, due to those who would bolt Weaklings…quislings… informers weak hearts… traitors and turncoats Striped of your leadership you took your own life Perhaps you were greatly burdened by the pressures, the conflict and strife You dared to dream bigger And for ten months, you were all free Free as the mountains and free as the sea… The forefathers of Emancipation Cuffy and Accara, Accabre and Atta, Cosayel Gousari Sowed the seeds, of the liberation That would grow, into the abolition Put an end, to the subjugation And inspired us to be One People, One Nation Know your story Know your History Unshackle your minds And never forget Cuffy Continue to stand aloft And inspire defiance and resistance Let your spirit continue to guard us No matter what, may befall us…