The Stones that the Builder Refused
Mother Africa lost her children to the sea
Scattered abroad and sold into slavery
Bound, shackled, and twice chained
Sins of the father has surely remained
Loving families we left behind
Betrayed and Sold by our own kind
These things sometimes makes me upset
Those things I can never ever forget
Like cattle lead to the slaughter
On auction blocks sold as barter
Hated, mistreated, and despised
Made lame, crippled, and then criticized
Battered and bruised dogs set upon
Skin baked in the sun for we are Teflon
In the fields we chanted a psalm
Now we’re told to go back where you came from
Nowhere to go for we no longer belong
Through captivity we’ve remain ever strong
We make you dance and now you want to be us too
You cannot be me nor I could ever be you
High on the hill you roast the sow
We’ve made you rich by the sweat of our brow
Good enough to die for you as martyrs
Yet not good enough to marry your daughters
It is here I was born
You still look at me with a scorn
Like I have stolen all your corn
From my back my clothing’s torn
Hands tired and limbs worn
I am the tree grown from an acorn
You cannot conquer me
I am one with the almighty
Take it all in and make sure it is well digested
You’ve claimed all that I have manifested
In us you have long divested
In us you are not interested
Shiftless and lazy we’ve been accused
On stage by us you’ve been amused
Your entire history you’ve been confused
For far too long we’ve been abused
Never more shall we be used
We are the stones that the builder refused
(August 6,2011)
poem by Wilfred Mellers
Added by Poetry Lover
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