The room was big and echoing.
I could hear the plantation
owners arguing over prices,
rich men in fine silk,
the smell of tobacco hanging in a haze
haggling over how much our lives are worth.
I clutched my mommas hand tight,
tighter than the slave driver clutches his whip.
Her hand was warm.
the color of the chocolate the rich children ate.
I see a man with a big belly eyeing my father,
looking at his well toned muscles,
asking his age,
how much he eats,
how well he works.
I remember  the years I spent on my mothers back
watching his big strong hands pick cotton,
watching her hands pick what he missed.
I have pride seeing him being bought.
Of course he is he is big and strong,
nice too.
Always givin me his food,
always makin sure ma is comfortable,
even though we sleep in a tiny room,
on a splintering wooden floor,
with e’eryone else,
he makes sure we are safe.
I hope his new home won’t use the switch on us,
I hope they feed us well.
I see a mean man approach my ma and I hide behind her skirt.
This isn’t the man who bought dad,
I cant see him no more.
This man is mean,
he pinches ma!
His eyes travel across her like a hungry wolf
I wanna tell him to stop,
the words are stuck,
he grabs her waist,
I can smell the reek of whiskey
“stop” I yell in my head
I learned to not speak out
learned to hide what I feel

learn to not speak.
He grabs her and takes a deep breath
his clothes are fancy
I feel their softness brush against me when he leans in
“go away!” I scream in my head
he nuzzles her and I begin to gag
the smell of meat and alcohol smothering me
“give me this woman” he tells the man we work for
“what’ve the child”
“I dont want any brats they die to quick”
they talk of numbers and I clutch my ma’s leg
asking her silently where dad is
why we aren’t with him
She is taken
I don’t want to let go
please I sob silently
“No!” I yell finally
beaten and whipped
in heartache and pain
my momma left
and I was maimed.