I know where I was born not when It was Tuckahoe Maryland I lived free as a bird near the bay in a small cabin with Grandma There wasn’t a whole lot to do inside our cramped cabin so I called to the birds the frogs the cats and the dogs I chirped and barked and squabbled until even the animals couldn’t tell if I was one of their own One day Grandma told me I would have to leave
Why I asked We belong to Old Master she said We are slaves What does that mean I thought I belonged to Grandma They won’t teach you a thing but to work And you won’t have a choice But why am I a slave I did not want to be told when to work where to work how to work and not have a choice
Grandma was silent on the day we left the cabin early in the morning We walked twelve long miles on a day swamped with heat and bugs to a place called the Great House Farm
When we arrived children ran out to see me They surrounded me laughing and teasing me so Then Grandma left without saying goodbye I met my brothers and sisters at the Great House but I didn’t know them well Without Grandma I was too sad to play
