During the slave trade, it’s estimated that more than 15% of the Africans forced aboard ships never saw their destination. To combat their loss of “profit” the owners of those ships purchased insurance on their human “cargo”. The only problem in their eyes, the insurance only paid out on cargo lost at sea. This caused many ship’s captains to order that gravely ill Africans be thrown overboard, ensuring at least some return on the ship’s owners’ investment.
I methodically maneuvered seamlessly under ocean waves, that is until the shadow of a massive creature drifted over & covered me
Blood-curdling screams escaped the human cargo held in the belly of the beast
I was hypnotized by the sounds that washed over me like monsoonal waves.
I can still hear those cries echoing in my mind even now
My family- All I love taken away from me
Bodies packed so tight no room to move
Not enough to eat & even less to drink
Mother Africa Rescue ME!!!
Finally, I was able to break free from my troubled trance and I contemplated the purpose of any entity, which could cause so much misery.
Bewildered I surfaced hoping that the sun’s rays on my dorsal fin would warm the now chilled blood running through my veins
I basked in summer heat oblivious to my surroundings until snapped back into reality by the sight of Pale Human directing whip into Dark Humans meat.
So many times, it slashed into Dark Humans back
Broad dark shoulders full of nobility crumbled underneath the lash
But simultaneously blossoming into colored pallets of white, pink and red
At that moment if it was within my power, I would have screamed
But instead, I dove down deep desperate to escape those horrid scenes
Hours passed as I sulked trying to make sense of the days escapades
When suddenly dark bodies began to breach the oceans crest
One, then another all attached to heavy chains. A man, woman, and child, thin & sickly yes, but still alive,
Their grisly cries muted by the saltwater filling their lungs.
Unfortunately,
for them,
Their struggles were music to the ears of other predators like me; some of them had already begun to feast
I held back for as long as I could
But ultimately my animalistic nature took hold of my very core and I began to tenderize warm dark meat between my giant teeth.
And tears that I didn’t even know I had began to mix & mingle with blood & sea.
I am a creature that many think of as a mindless killing machine
But on that day after gorging,
I lay fat, tired, and disgusted with myself
With only enough energy to wonder how on judgement day that ship’s crew would justify their actions.
I was and will forever be, totally disheartened by the memory of your so-called HUMANITY