On this Memorial Day, we are duly bound to remember our military, past and present, who have given their lives for our freedom. As a Christian, I am constrained to remember those whose faith fanned their fights, fueled my faith and have encouraged my righteous fights. As I continue to look at the history of the strong black woman, I dedicate the following poem to the memory of such a woman:

I remember her:

That strong one who showed me how to get it done.
That one with a great resume
Full of laurels and letters,
Testifying to her story of how she had overcome.

I remember her:

Before she stepped foot on a slave ship, she marshaled troops, had her own camp in the Motherland.

I remember her:

She survived the stacking and the stench
Her bruised body, among others, lying in filth.

I remember her:

She kept her head, though sometimes hung low, when beaten or raped or when loved ones were sold.
She kept going, believing for something better.

I remember her:

Singing songs to soothe her soul
Humming hymns to give her wind
Praying prayers to medicate, to dedicate her life for them:
Polygamous and racist systems
Working harder than any man
In business and on the land
And birthing children
And nursing children
And gathering sanity and salvation while fixing a little meal in the kitchen

I remember her:

Her cruel fate kept her focused on Jesus
Weary-eyed, whole body tired and worn.
But she always moved on.

I remember her

Giving herself, rarely giving up, never wanting to give in to
Paternal, institutional, spiritual or environmental sin.

I remember her

Slavery survivor, domestic work provider, academic and business star rising.

I remember her

Life educated
College matriculated
Smarts with common sense
She did it in my defense
Could do it in God’s strength

So I remember her.

Copyright 2010 by Rhonda J. Smith