Bury Me in a Free Land - Not One of Slaves

Frances Ellen Watkins Harper, sets the tone and theme with the initial stanza of this poem Bury Me in a Totally free Land, which is written in the quatrain format with rhyming couplets. The poem does an superb job of illustrating the mind of liberation going via the thoughts of an person in physical bondage. The poem enables one to sense the feeling of what goes by way of the thoughts of a individual who is captured and dragged into slavery.

The essence of the poem stemming from the lament of a slave, does not seek a glorious spot to rest in terms of worldly possessions and far more glorious. The poem speaks of getting buried outdoors the realms of slavery, which to the author is beyond such worldly possessions. The articulation right here shows that slavery has had a terrible effect on these grasped inside its dark shackles, hence possessing the life's blood sucked out of them. The poor who has lost the will to resist have been even a lot more drastically impacted and their spirits crushed. The spirit of a individual is anticipated to rest in peace soon after the individual has passed away; even so, in this poem relating to slavery, the author alludes to the truth that her spirit "could not rest" in "a land of slaves." This highlights the demoralizing influence slavery has had on these violently dragged into its terrible dungeon of darkness.

The photos in the fourth stanza of this poem are very chilling. Listen to those words: I could not sleep if I saw the lash / Drinking her blood at each and every fearful gash / And saw her babes torn from her breast / Like trembling doves from their parent nest. This stanza brings to light the grave pictures that exist in slavery. Harper quite poured her heart out via the words in this stanza in an appeal for other individuals to rise up against such life-threatening and life-taking scenarios.

The final stanza speaks to the author's intent of this poem relating to becoming No cost from slavery. This stanza states, I ask no monument, proud and high / To arrest the gaze of passers-by; / All that my yearning spirit craves, / Is bury me not in a land of slaves. Right here we feel the influence of the poem and the author's intent to be Free of charge; No cost from hate, violence, tribulation, depressive circumstances, and indentured servitude even in death.

The good quality of this poem is brilliant. Harper's mastery and articulation of diction to portray slavery is poignant. Her words relating to the mother's shriek of wild despair in the third stanza, and drinking her blood at each and every fearful gash in the fourth stanza send chills down one's spine. This is just an great poem of truth which nevertheless applies to modern day slavery of the thoughts in today's atmosphere and physical slavery in other individuals.

Joseph S. Spence, Sr. (aka "Epulaeryu Master"), is the author of "The Awakened One Poetics" (2009), which is published in seven diverse languages. He also co-authored two poetry books, "A Trilogy of Poetry, Prose and Mind for the Thoughts, Physique and Soul" (2005), and "Trilogy Moments for the Thoughts, Physique and Soul," (2006). He invented the Epulaeryu poetry form, which focuses on succulent cuisines. Joseph is a Goodwill Ambassador for the state of Arkansas. He has completed more than twenty years of service with the U.S. Army.

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