1.
White shopkeepers,
farmers, traders
have assembled of their own accord,
Under one flag
With one sword
But we are not welcome
to defend our home
because our skin
is black.
2.
Who are you? What do you want?
My husband is a free man! Leave him be!
Where are you
taking him?
My God! My God! Somebody help us!
3.
Don’t sit.
Don’t stand.
We can only
crouch, hunker.
Halfway positions,
halfway men.
Not slaves,
not yet free.
4.
Return these men
to the free state
Of Ohio.
Return them to
work and family,
Free to remain
at home or
to return here.
5.
Cross this river one more time
These men say I’ll get my say-so
They say, Talk to our eyes.
Cross this river, for the last time?
6.
We return
on this new morning,
twice as many
strong.
Ready to defend
our city and home.
Ready to safeguard
our families and
future. Ready to
believe in unity.
7.
Now an army
with one mission,
many of us will follow,
a few command.
we work the front:
cut down trees,
dig pits, build bunkers,
man trenches,
armed only with
picks, axes, shovels.
8.
A grey cap
with field glasses
scans the front line,
stops on me.
I stare back.
I want to shout
“Black men
built these forts!”
9.
The morning sun
burnt off the last
of the fog.
Not a single grey
cap could be seen.
I kissed the axe
I’d held all night!
Forts and vigilant men
turn the sowers
of division away.
10.
We left as men,
Returned as heroes
To doffed hats,
Waving hands.
Cheered by the
colorful crowd at
Fifth and Broadway,
we are citizens
knighted by a
sword not used.
