Sunday, September 12, 2010

Affirmation by Assata Shakur

Affirmation

I believe in living.
I believe in the spectrum
of Beta days and Gamma people.

I believe in sunshine.
In windmills and waterfalls,
tricycles and rocking chairs.

And I believe that seeds grow into sprouts.
And sprouts grow into trees.
I believe in the magic of the hands.

And in the wisdom of the eyes.
I believe in rain and tears.
And in the blood of infinity.
I believe in life.
And i have seen the death parade
march through the torso of the earth,
sculpting mud bodies in its path.
I have seen the destruction of the daylight,
and seen bloodthristy maggots
prayed to and saluted.

I have seen the kind become the blind
and the blind become the bind
in one easy lesson.
I have walked on cut glass.
I have eaten crow and blunder bread
and breathed the stench of indifference.

I have been locked by the lawless.
Hancuffed by the haters.
Gagged by the greedy.
And, if i know any thing at all,
it's that a wall is just a wall
and nothing more at all.

It can be broken down.
I believe in living.
I believe in birth.
I believe in the sweat of love
and in the fire of truth.

And i believe that a lost ship,
steered by tired, sick sailors,
can still be guided home
to port.
From Assata: An Autobiography. Zed Books Ltd. Copyright 1987.

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