Brotherly Blood

The simmering Virginia sun

Blazing across our steaming backs

Torn, feeble hands

Picking soft balls of precious cotton

A harsh man

Sitting apoun a stallion

Whip in hand

A quiver of the hand, a short stop

to wipe sweat from the brow

Crack!

A pause to gather the senses,

a murmur to another

Crack!

A stumble, sweat floods my face,

my mind overwhelmed by the heat

Crack!

Hands come in contact with the soft Earth

Crack!

Now it is anger that floods my mind

Blood and sweat mix on my back

I turn around, face him squarely

Wipe the blood and sweat from my shoulder, hold it up in my quivering hand

And say

"You treat us like dogs,

you make us work like your horses,

and you feed us like pigs.

But, oh kind sir, why does it seem then...

that we all bleed the same?"