Songs of Anisha
“It’s a Tall Song,”
by Padmore Agbemabiese
It is so tall a song
of the mechanic and the carpenter
the mason and the boatman
the shoemaker and the woodcutter
soaked neck deep in the sweat and pain
to cultivate the fields
and go home hungry
it is the long song of the father and the son
lost in the plantation fields
the mother and the daughter
lost in the woods of the overseer
they lost themselves
in a world of the ploughboy’s scythe
cracking bowels of earth sunup till sundown
to bring laughter to the Master’s table
and they have to cultivate the plantation fields
go home hungry
sing with open mouths
ever since the patrolman bundled them
the steamboat drowned their tears
and the night-train did not return for them
and forever
they must cultivate the fields
go home hungry
counting hope in deepest soul
from Africa to Santo Domingo
from Cuba to Haiti, from Gambia to Goree Islands
from Jamaica to Rio de Janeiro
from Ghana to Guyana and Harlem to J’burg
we must sing with souls pleading
in strong but broken melodious voices
we are the song and the songster
who forever cultivate the fields
dance with untold sorrows
and go home hungry
somewhat, you want us to sing
gather our strained Hopes
call on our cousins and nieces
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