Categories
Poetry

Swapping Chains

  1. Break your iron shackles; replace with broken keys.
  2. Have a taste of freedom, but never really free.
  3. Bathed with flaming water didn’t bleach your skin.
  4. Cursed with myth and scripture, philosophies of men.
  5. Take your dimes and dollars to build the halls so grand
  6. ’Cross the traded ocean, but never in your land.
  7. No ticket for the mountain, no fig leaves for your waist,
  8. No oil for your forehead, no tokened hands embraced,
  9. No families forever, no broken bread or wine,
  10. No pastor, priest, or elder, and no empowered climb,
  11. No tongues or hands of healing, no prophecy or dreams,
  12. No chance for highest glory until the white man deems.

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By Kim Siever

Kim Siever is an independent queer journalist based in Lethbridge, Alberta. He writes daily news articles, focusing on politics and labour.

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