GRAVEYARD

I SUPPOSE I COULD HAVE IMAGINED IT

I’M PRONE TO THAT

BUT MAYBE IT WAS THE SCENERY

THAT MOVED ME

THE LOW LAYING MORNING FOG

THE LIVE OAKS

FESTOONED WITH SPANISH MOSS

LOOKING PALE AND GHOSTLY

THE PATH I WAS ON

NARROW

AND OVERGROWN

BARELY THERE

AND THEN THE WOODEN MARKER

IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE

SAYING TOM

I HAD FOUND A SLAVE GRAVEYARD

HUNTERS HAD FOUND IT FIRST

TOLD ME WHERE IT WAS

HERE I WAS

I THOUGHT I HEARD MURMURING

PERHAPS IT WAS THE TREES SIGHING

I THOUGHT I HEARD

WHEN I FIRST MET MARSE JOHN

HE SAID TO ME

I BOUGHT YOU

YOU BELONG TO ME

YOU’LL LIVE WHERE I TELL YOU

WORK TILL I SAY QUIT

I’LL GIVE YOU A WOMAN

BUT YOUR CHILDREN ARE MINE

TO TRADE OR SELL

FOR THAT MATTER

YOUR WOMAN

OR YOU

I CAN SELL TOO

IF YOU WORK

I’LL FEED YOU

IF YOU’RE LAZY

I’LL WHIP YOU

IF YOU’RE DISOBEDIENT

I’LL KILL YOU

AND I’LL GO TO CHURCH

AND FEEL JUSTIFIED

BUT WHETHER

YOU’RE GOOD OR BAD

I PROMISE YOU

WHETHER I WORK YOU TO DEATH

OR KILL YOU

I’LL PUT A MARKER ON YOUR GRAVE

FRANK A VOLLMER