she was once worthy
to keep your family fed
as your helpless wife would turn her head
while you came to her quarters each night and warmed her worthy bed
she was once worthy
to always be at your beckoning call
wherever you would go
and begat countless more hands for your plantation fields
brown skinned
blue-eyed
brown hair
Mullato
and she was once worthy
to share the wedding vow
becoming common property like horse and cow
a step above the slave daily working the plantation plow
she once was worthy
but not worthy enough for equal conversation and thought
only to bear your children when each season turns to spring
a gift to you from Antebellum parents
once a belle of young society
now
a caged bird that can no longer sing
both were once worthy
but never the way they thought
each a sale at different marketplaces to be bought
to simply exist in environments taught
but both were never really worthy
freedom came to each in a short window of time
slowly rescinded by the current masters of this plantation
never worthy of the love you deserved
never an equal
seen in shadows but never heard
never worthy of this nation