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today is Father’s Day in the USA, and I wish happiness for fathers; since I have no earthly Father anymore (and for some time) and got to thinking about tomorrow; and not stopping in thinking about tomorrow, I offer this

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tomorrow is Juneteenth

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tomorrow is Juneteenth

when in Texas slaves

no longer slaves

and who were never slaves

by the will

that was creation

nonetheless are told

they are no longer slaves

and by legislation

for two years

or so

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you are free

but they knew that

they knew there was an enemy

that kept them down

that weighed the legs and feet

upon stolen ground

to earn crops

for another’s coffer

(boxes in the bank)

they knew

they would rise

they knew this sometimes

on occasion

while chains and fields

and white men’s whips

beat another message

upon backs

of backs and faces

on the legs

that did the work

that carried wealth

to a master

who was not a master

or an owner

but for thieving

against God

and integrity

who cared not for blood

that spilled on blossoms

as long as they looked white

in the sacks

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such evil

Lord

and why did you allow it

why is our will

so important

that we are enabled

to grab weapons

to split human hides

to take the rest from Africa

stuffed like oranges

in ships

to the infantile

and erstwhile

USA

and late give up the practice

through a war

a reckoning

for what all of us knew

was wrong

was evil

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we cannot imagine

who were not there

though at least

we may tell stories

and send messages

through generations

to the future

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do not do this again

live a kind of sorry

if need be

and if recompense

be needed

well them

pay it

from those boxes

of the profiteers

whose gold inside

still shines

still funds

still mocks

the rest of us

for color

and all colors

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let freedom ring

we hear

well

let it ring

ring bells

ring all we have

that makes a message

and response

with decibels as words

that say

yes freedom

we must have it

we must try it

we must make it known

to all the Earth

and all the worlds beyond

and all the worlds

that are inside

and all the worlds

that we must share

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c l couch

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Photo by Wasil Ahammed on Unsplash

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