In My House
by Michael R. Burch

When you were in my house
you were not free—
in chains bound.

Manifest Destiny?

I was wrong;
my plantation burned to the ground.
I was wrong.

This is my song,
this is my plea:
I was wrong.

When you are in my house,
now, I am not free.

I feel the song
hurling itself back at me.

We were wrong.
This is my history.

I feel my tongue
stilting accordingly.

We were wrong;
brother, forgive me.

Published by Black Medina. Keywords/Tags: racism, racist, slavery, chains, plantation, burned, house, free, freedom, history, forgive, forgiveness, brother, brotherhood, understanding, tolerance, equality, justice

All these memories are full;
weighted down by iron bars
that lock and trap.
wrapping chains around me,
but I let them.

Too wild to be tamed,
Too alone to be sane,
but you looked at me
and you smiled-
oh god, you smiled.

Too scared of trying,
not understanding the meaning of family
until you took my hand
and I know what you're doing,
but by some miracle-
by some twisted miracle,
I let you.

You weigh me down now,
long after you're gone.
These chains never rust,
they never loosen.

I let myself be captured by your love.
And I'm still not sure if I regret it or not,
but you taught me how to feel.
And sometimes I wish you hadn't,
because these feeling that are inside me
are far from the malleable, soft thing that I've become.
Far from the person you turned me into.

They are sharp edges
and strong, unyielding walls.
They plunge me into a current
and I don't know how to swim.
So I take it all, floating along
without your guidance.

You taught me these things-
and then you left before you were done.
You've left me to smooth out the edges on my own
but you never taught me how.

We all have chains,
Chains that bind us to different things,
For some,
That involves being chained to other people,
For others,
It involves being chained to your emotions,
For me,
It was being chained to those who were close,
But that’s okay,
Because over time,
I broke those chains, and moved forward,
So can you,
You can break your chains,
Either it be through the rust of time,
Or through the constant pounding of breaking it,
And once you break your chains,
You too can move forward with your life.

Have you heard the ancient tales? A king summoned his slave, a man old and frail.

I am your King and you are my slave the King announced.
Not true the slave denounced.

How so said the King. I have 7 kingdoms of my own,
and all the people including you, answer to my throne.

Gluttony, greed, lust and pride, you are chained by your desires the slave explained.
Your desires rule over you, but my desires,
I am their master, complete freedom I have attained.

So you see son, I am a king of desire, while it is your master.

I am a King of your King, and you a slave of my slave.

Have you heard the ancient tales? A man old and frail.

When I first met you, your voice tattooed a chain around my heart.
The more I saw you the tighter it got.
The ink slowly got darker and your vice around me only grew stronger.

The value of the individual does not dilute when grouped. Loops in chains shall remain. To be unique and hold oneself adds wealth. Promote one for all, for if we fall then it's all for none. Such beauty comes from the stem of flowers to the petals of a rose, maintain this mindset. Please don't forget or close.

Chains of my own design
kept me from the divine.
Two good legs I was given
with wings to touch heaven,
but my mind made shackles
added weights to ankles.

With awesome wings I crawled,
so lost I forgot I’m called.
I added other’s chains
to bury my own pain,
but I wasn’t okay
mind gave heart no say.

Back to where I soared past
these distractions don’t last,
I wanted my freedom
struggle left me bleedin’;
even though I held the key
fear kept me from being free.

No way to cross the goal line,
forced to admit I’m not fine.
My past mistakes forgiven,
I gave myself permission
to let the chains unravel,
so I prepare to travel.

My progress no longer stalled
I remember that I am called.
Chains given to the one who reigns,
who was with me in the pain,
so I take it day by day
my mind is given less sway.

Where I belong at long last,
my resolve is now steadfast.
I am free in the kingdom
to remember mom’s wisdom,
don’t worry I can be carefree
fear can’t keep me. I am free