“The Last Slave Ship” by Joe A. Sainz

THE LAST SLAVE SHIP

Joe A. Sainz

(Inspired by a painting by Kadir Nelson on the cover of the February 2020 edition of National Geographic Magazine illustrating slaves in a rowboat trying to reach the last-known United States bound slave ship, the Clotilda, in 1860.)

The Last Slave Ship; Twenty-six future slaves try to row the rickety boat to the ship; Tall waves crash against the boat; Fins in the water surround the boat; Which fate is better? Hard decision.

The Last Slave Ship; Twenty-two future slaves on the boat envy the freedom of the waves. Where’s the ship going? What type of life awaits them? They would rather not know. Why try to get to the ship at all?

The Last Slave Ship; Nineteen future slaves in a rickety boat; Large silhouettes swim under the waves. They appear so free! And they have the freedom to eat; And they swim to anywhere they want.

The Last Slave Ship; Fifteen future slaves in a rickety boat; The boat approaches the ship; And it almost crashes; no one cares. They will ride in the cargo section when they board the ship; They will get less drinking water than a house plant; The Last Slave Ship; Twelve future slaves in a rickety boat; They will be forgotten items in a tag sale; They will eat nothing but molasses and mush; Why try to get to the ship? There is no choice; no choice at all.

The Last Slave Ship; Eleven future slaves in a rickety boat; Thoughts of families never to be seen again; Thoughts of a bygone childhood; Another wave tilts the boat at a 45-degree angle; There is no nausea, since they had nothing to eat;

The Last Slave Ship; From West Africa to wherever Alabama is; What will life be like? The hold of the ship will be their home; But, the hold of a ship is for cargo, not for men, women and children; But there is no choice; no choice at all.