walk to freedom

the Underground Railroad

there is an image of Lincoln
and of
a burgeoned tree in
front of the house
I borrow
and sometimes I wonder at these

the basement is connected and apart
a dirt-floored room with
a further alcove
also
rude but accessible

unnoticed and attached

and could there be a place of hiding
in this place
and
did it work
and are there untold stories of
escape
and respite on the way
to much more
lasting
freedom
that with Confederates occupying
the region could afford

or
were there failures
time to time
and no one got out
to live
except to go back south and
lack of life
to breathe the mottled air
humidity with
captivity

even the molecules would not be free
but paid for through blood released
and
freedom kept
inside

c l couch


photo by 85mm.ca on Unsplash
"Toronto Blue Jay Black Juneteenth Celebration"
Toronto, Canada
published on June 19, 2025