SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) – The work of a 13-year-old poet all the way from Las Vegas is displayed in the Savannah African Art Museum. The young creative has written a special piece to commemorate Juneteenth.
“Juneteenth reminds us, never lose hope even in the most uncertain times. When the ground seems to be collapsing beneath our feet,” said young poet, Arianna Shaprow .
Arianna Shaprow said her families experience has shaped who she is. She said she is most inspired by poets like Maya Angelou and Langston Hughes.
Her poem is in museums across the country.
Arianna said she hopes when people read her poem will learn about the resilience of the Black community.
“It really explores the surface level of Juneteenth and then to a deeper perspective and it really talked about even though we were freed on that day when the Emancipation proclamation occurred, we were still not receiving equality and equity,” said Shaprow.
Check out the full poem below:
Juneteenth
By, Arianna Shaprow
A historical celebration
of Freedom
The suffocating chains
of slavery
Have been broken
An illogical power structure
Where southern slaveholders
reigned supreme
no longer
the rule of the land
Free by executive decree
Although it would take time
To make this statement a reality
For so long
we dreamed
to be free
And now
we realized it was our destiny
Dreamed of transforming our lives
our country
Now we could strive
for absolute equality
Equity
and property
Black union soldiers read small copies
Of the Emancipation Proclamation
To slaves on plantations
Spreading the miraculous news
Of a new day
A new age…
Juneteenth reminds us
That we must never lose hope
Even in the most uncertain times
When the ground
seems to be collapsing
beneath our feet
We must move forward
With a deep sense
of inner peace
We must tell ourselves
that the future
will be full of light
Despite the fact
that our ancestors have been
overworked
Endured fractures
and wounds
Following the orders of men
who falsely believed
they were superior from birth
We must be optimistic
And envision
a brighter future ahead
Juneteenth reminds us of
The protests
for George Floyd
and Breonna Taylor
A cry for change
Protests against unauthorized use of force
Some of us knew the ending
to these tragic stories
Before they had even been written
Now some of us are employees
Working for minimum wage
For employers who falsely believe
They are superior to us from birth
What we call Juneteenth
Doesnt matter
We can call it
Juneteenth Independence Day
Emancipation Day
Freedom Day
It is how we remember slavery
And our ancestors that matters
We celebrate
We educate
We achieve
We believe
And we strive
for Black excellence
Juneteenth reminds us
That we must never lose hope
Even when the ground seems to be collapsing beneath our feet
We must continue to move forward
With a deep sense of inner peace
When Martin Luther King proclaimed
“I have a dream!…”
He was talking about us
We are the dream of King
The dream of ancestors
The dream of so many generations
Juneteenth reminds us
We must keep dreaming…
Keep striving
Disparities exist
in education
Healthcare
Employment
and the criminal justice system
Across our nation
Yet, we keep striving
Keep reaching
Until we can touch
The sky
A sky full of bright stars
Limitless opportunities
Equality and equity
Across all aspects of society
Endless
Infinite…
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