Million-Footed March on Washington

From across the Atlantic,
like cattle,
came the million-footed march
on Washington…

…before the land made free by Washington.

We came in Ships
that came for sugar;
we came in ships
that came for tobacco;
we came in ships
That traded slaves…

…to the land made free by Washington.

We worked the land,
we worked like cattle,
we worked for scraps…

…on the land made free by Washington.

We built the cities
in which we could not live;
we built the schools
in which we could not set foot;
we built the towers
in which we were imprisoned…

…despite the land being freed by Washington

Then Garvey taught us to think,
Then Malcolm taught us to fight,
Then Martin taught us to dream…

…for the land made free by Washington.

And so we thought;
And so we fought;
And so we dreamed
about
our million-footed march on Washington…
…healing the land made free by Washington.

© Sheldon D. Channer, 2009