The Amistad
by Ryan Doherty
metal poisoned into our palms
& we’ve killed the days of
the early horizon of a distance lost
& we rise at dawn and search for
the hope in a crack of light from above
& those who fight will become
judged by the sharks beneath
& those who place chains will be
immortal above the eyes of millions
& this skeleton of who we are is
guided by pale fingers & ancestral calls
pressed to flesh & kerosene breath
forever & no longer
hoping the heart beats
& the phantoms above will be
laughing always to the unknown
launching our prayers
towards the end of this ocean
we will be moved
& hopefully
destiny can be reversed
& hopefully
we will be moved
towards the end of this ocean
launching our prayers
laughing always to the unknown
& the phantoms above will be
hoping the heart beats
forever & no longer
pressed to flesh & kerosene breath
guided by pale fingers & ancestral calls
& this skeleton of who we are is
immortal above the eyes of millions
& those who place chains will be
judged by the sharks beneath
& those who fight will become
the hope in a crack of light from above
& we rise at dawn and search for
the early horizon of a distance lost
& we’ve killed the days of
metal poisoned into our palms.