The Slave Auction

Summer class presentation of The Slave Auction by Frances E.W. Harper.

The Slave Auction
BY FRANCES ELLEN WATKINS HARPER

The sale began—young girls were there, Defenseless in their wretchedness,
Whose stifled sobs of deep despair Revealed their anguish and distress.

And mothers stood, with streaming eyes,
And saw their dearest children sold;
Unheeded rose their bitter cries,
While tyrants bartered them for gold.

And woman, with her love and truth—
For these in sable forms may dwell—
Gazed on the husband of her youth,
With anguish none may paint or tell.

And men, whose sole crime was their hue,
The impress of their Maker's hand,
And frail and shrinking children too,
Were gathered in that mournful band.

Ye who have laid your loved to rest,
And wept above their lifeless clay,
Know not the anguish of that breast,
Whose loved are rudely torn away.

Ye may not know how desolate
Are bosoms rudely forced to part,
And how a dull and heavy weight
Will press the life-drops from the heart.


Read by Andrew Caliri

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Black
• Poetry
• and
• Drama
• New
• Paltz
• Huston
• The
• Slave
• Auction
• Frances
• Harper

[facebake203]

thanks this vid is so powerful so discritive like you actully were there it made me think god bless that our contrey men won the cilver war

[anuyhwh]

THANK YOU FOR THIS POWERFUL VIDEO

[JJmini12]

whats the name of this song??????? very inspiring how black people have come so far, heartbreaking to watch