There were sounds of hymns to God all night
While a thousand hearts wailed beneath the dungeons
They were hushed, scrubbed, pillaged and scoured
and rushed to fields to gather tears and trembling distress
into their bosoms till their blood tissues wore death
like a bracelet till worms claim their souls at dawn
after their nightmares on many rivers
they were stretched on a bloody bier
down narrow lanes they whispered in silence
when they heard Emmett once sang his dirge
about his lost black southern manhood at 15
I think I was told he entered an uncle’s store
And kissed Death’s prophetic ear in a whistle
Within the windowless arms of the high walls
we’ve fanned the strongest flames of love
we’ve counted rosaries of remembrance
chanted Pater Nostra all nights to a dear father
only to carry thin lines of dying dreams in our arms
are dead folks not the 'liveliest' of us all"
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