The dirt I dig in contains
The bones, blood, sweat, and tears of my ancestors
Their bones the foundation I stand on
The dirt holds the DNA of who I am

The seeds of my future
Planted by
Their hands
                     that worked the land
                     that prayed for freedom
                     that wiped tears from crying eyes
                     that waved goodbye to loved ones, never seen again
                     that placed fingers to mouths to keep silent
Secrets
Plans of escape

                    At the river’s edge
                                                    Quietly singing and swaying with the current
Baptized in the river

Chains broken and keloid scars melted away
Healing waters blessed by the ancestors 
Freedom washed

New creatures rise from the waters
Bare feet sink into the soggy shore
Footprints Preserved – a permanent record that they were here
The road to freedom

The dirt I stand in
Contains hope, promise, and new beginnings of my ancestors  

The land on the other side of the river
 
Home of the free
Land of the saved