POETRY: 'The Bird's Song' by Ana Hagins

I’ve heard stories about them.

About how things were back then…

They use to sing songs about tomorrow

even though there was no guarantee they would see the sun go down.

They sung about the future because it was the only thing of true uncertainty

and to them not knowing what would be seemed to be the only way to have hope.

I heard about how they raised their hands

to the heavens in order to hold on to God’s unchanging hand,

begging for mercy,

pleading for a savior,

and praying for a revolution.

Mama’s older mama use tell her

how God always heard the prayers of the oppressed,

and that He always answered,

but on His own time.

My mama use to tell me

about how one of her older mamas

sang to everyone and everything.

She said she use to sing to the birds and the birds would sing back.

She said her song went a little something like this:

“Sing me a song of freedom, dear friend. Tell me, how does it go?

For my soul only knows of heartaches, anguish, despair and woe.

My voice has grown weary from hardships and pain.

Give me a new song so I can sing again.

Sing me a song of freedom, my friend. Tell me, how does it go?

So we can sing the freedom song ‘bout this time tomorrow.”  

Mama said her older mama would listen close as the bird would sing:

“Freedom is the simplest song that anyone has ever heard.

I sing ‘bout it all day long ‘cause it only has one word.

Freedom, freedom, freedom, freedom is how my song begins.

And freedom, freedom, freedom, freedom is how it always ends.

Freedom is the simplest song that anyone has ever heard.

I sing ‘bout all day long, for who has more freedom than a bird?”   

  

There were these stories

about how  they would meet in the back woods

when it was dark,

wade in the water,

 hold hands and just sing.

Crying voices filled the night

as they talked about how some glad morning

they all would fly away.

They sang all night as if dawn

would be the time that God turned them to birds.