"Dreaming of Freedom"

Here is a poetic story in verse about a slave woman and her child as she describes the riches and beauty of her African heritage.



“Dreaming of Freedom”

When I was just a child
my momma showed to me
a pretty wooden dish
that came across the sea.

And then she’d wrapped it up
and hidden it away.
She pushed it deep inside
our mattress made of hay.

She said it would be mine
someday when I was wed.
It came from far away
from ancestors long dead.

She said her mother was
the first-born of a king
and when they lived at home
they could do anything.

As daughter of the king,
she was beloved by all
and she’d received great gifts
since she’d been very small.

One gift had been this dish,
with dark and light straight lines.
She said the beli wood
had zebra stripe designs.

My momma told me tales
of that place far away
where everyone was free
and happy children play.

The dish was all she had
reminding her of home
where mighty lions roar
and elephants can roam.

She told about the trees,
the animals and land.
”Then why must we stay here?”
I could not understand.

She said that we were slaves
and that we had no choice.
No matter how we begged,
no one would hear our voice.

As we lay down to sleep,
my momma said to me,
“Just dream that you’re a queen
and dream of being free.”



“Beli” is an exotic wood from Africa. It has subdued stripes similar to the African Zebra, which is why it is often referred to as “zebrawood”. The striping pattern can vary considerably and may undergo some degree of color change over time. This lustrous wood has a texture ranging from medium to coarse, with a grain pattern that is usually wavy or interlocked.


meter: 6-6-6-6
rhyme: abcb
6-8-07