Imperialism | Teen Ink

Imperialism

June 26, 2023
By Peacemoney BRONZE, Evanston, Illinois
Peacemoney BRONZE, Evanston, Illinois
1 article 0 photos 0 comments

So one race named herself
The master of her kind
Going after weaker lands
Conquering and Taking away
Taking away able-bodied
Men and women
You'll see them
Led unto the ship like cattle
Like the animals on Noah's ark
Shipped unto vast lands
One which they know no one
Nor look like no one
Traded for 2-3 pieces of gold
With the sole purpose of serving their
'master'
Bruised
Beaten
Battered
They worked to the bone
Picking cotton
Building farmlands
Winning wars for those
Who deem them unworthy

Until a time came
where they wanted to be free
To make decisions for themselves
To finally be able to say
NO, I don't want to do that!
NO, I don't want to go there!
NO, I don't want to say that!
NO!
NO!
NO!
They fought for freedom
And won.

Now comes the issue
For reparations
Amending sins of the past
Asking, for an apology and compensation of some sort.
Pitiful raffles are being set up
Basically to ridicule us
Reparations meant for us are still basically going back to the government
Reparations in the form of house plans
Reparations that still tie the hands of us black people
And keep us from being able to spend our money however, we like.
We ask cause we deserve it
We ask cause its the right thing to do
We are not to be pitied
We, black people, are now doctors, and lawyers, and are now elected into office.
We are not to be pitied or ridiculed
We asking for reparations, and we are asking that it is done right.


The author's comments:

As a Nigerian Immigrant who recently moved to the United States this poem was my own way of coming to terms with the past and how the U.S. is trying to fix their past mistakes. I also share my opinion on the reparations program being done in Evanston IL.


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