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    Akonkem Chimamaka Oluwanifesimi Laphtar
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    The poem describes an ancestor of the author's who was sold as a slave at an auction. In the first stanza, the author sees their ancestor through their ancestor's eyes, feeling shame and humiliation. In the second stanza, the author sees themselves reflected in their ancestor and feels ashamed of their own ignorance. In the final stanza, the author sees their ancestor toiling and recognizes that their ancestor's labor helped build the country, with the author's task now being to continue that work of building.

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    West Indian

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    pdfslide.net_an-anthology-of-west-indian-poetry-ancestor-on-the-auction-block (1)

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    The poem describes an ancestor of the author's who was sold as a slave at an auction. In the first stanza, the author sees their ancestor through their ancestor's eyes, feeling shame and humiliation. In the second stanza, the author sees themselves reflected in their ancestor and feels ashamed of their own ignorance. In the final stanza, the author sees their ancestor toiling and recognizes that their ancestor's labor helped build the country, with the author's task now being to continue that work of building.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Flag for inappropriate content
    Download as pdf or txt
    142 views3 pages

    University of The West Indies Caribbean Quarterly

    Uploaded by

    Akonkem Chimamaka Oluwanifesimi Laphtar
    The poem describes an ancestor of the author's who was sold as a slave at an auction. In the first stanza, the author sees their ancestor through their ancestor's eyes, feeling shame and humiliation. In the second stanza, the author sees themselves reflected in their ancestor and feels ashamed of their own ignorance. In the final stanza, the author sees their ancestor toiling and recognizes that their ancestor's labor helped build the country, with the author's task now being to continue that work of building.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
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    of 3

    Ancestor on the Auction Block

    Author(s): Vera Bell


    Source: Caribbean Quarterly, Vol. 5, No. 3, An Anthology of West Indian Poetry (April, 1958),
    pp. 126-127
    Published by: University of the West Indies and Caribbean Quarterly
    Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/40652648 .
    Accessed: 14/06/2014 06:38

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    This content downloaded from 188.72.96.115 on Sat, 14 Jun 2014 06:38:12 AM


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    Vera Bell

    Ancestoron the Auction Block


    Ancestoron theauctionblock
    Acrossthe years your eyes seek mine
    Compellingme to look.
    I see yourshackledfeet
    Your primitiveblack face
    I see yourhumiliation
    And turnaway
    Ashamed.

    Acrosstheyearsyoureyesseekmine
    Compellingme to look
    Is thismean creaturethatI see
    Myself?
    Ashamedto look
    Because ofmyselfashamed
    Shackledby myownignorance
    I stand
    A slave.

    Humiliated
    I cryto theeternalabyss
    For understanding
    Ancestoron theauctionblock
    Acrosstheyearsyoureyesmeetmine
    Electric
    I am transformed
    My freedomis withinmyself.

    I look you in theeyes and see


    The spiritof God eternal
    Of thisonlyneed I be ashamed
    Of blindnessto theGod withinme
    The same God who dweltwithinyou
    The same eternalGod
    Who shall dwell
    In generations yetunborn.

    126

    This content downloaded from 188.72.96.115 on Sat, 14 Jun 2014 06:38:12 AM


    All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
    Vera Bell

    Ancestoron theauctionblock
    Acrossthe years
    Hook
    I see you sweating,toiling,suffering
    WithinyourloinsI see theseed
    Of multitudes
    Fromyourlabour
    Growroads,aqueducts,cultivation
    A new countryis born
    Yours was thetaskto cleartheground
    Minebe thetaskto build.

    127

    This content downloaded from 188.72.96.115 on Sat, 14 Jun 2014 06:38:12 AM


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