And silently too for granted
t hem.
It ime ago,
But not so long ago at t, Lincoln said:
NO MAN IS GOOD ENOUGh
tO GOVERN ANOthER MAN
It t Ot.
too,
But in ts the slaves knew
be meant for every human being-
Else it had no meaning for anyone.
then a man said:
BEttER tO DIE FREE
tO LIVE SLAVES
he was a colored man who had been a slave
But o freedom.
And the slaves knew
Frederick Douglass said rue.
it harpers Ferry, Negroes died.
John Brown was hung.
Before the Civil ar, days were dark,
And nobody knew for sure
riumph
quot;Or if it ; t some.
But ot o triumph.
In those dark days of slavery,
Guarding in ts the seed of freedom,
the slaves made up a song:
Keep Your he Plow! hold On!
t song meant just said: hold On!
Freedom will come!
Keep Your he Plow! hold On!
Out of came, bloody and terrible!
But it came!
Some there were, as always,
ed t t,
t the slaves would be free,
Or t tand,
But no.
Out of t days for people and a nation,
e kno.
t wtle clouds rolled away.
t wooded land,
And men united as a nation.
America is a dream.
t says it was promises.
t is promises-t rue.
t al loud,
Nor e them down on paper.
ten hold