i bow to those who went before
bearing the hoe and long cane-bill
who wept and worked at others' will
till august eighteen-thirty-four
we make our choices know the score
believe we act with style and skill
but every option good or ill
begins in eighteen-thirty-four
the ships that took them to that shore
in stink of vomit shit and swill
rivers of ink and blood to spill
till august eighteen-thirty-four
we cannot tell how much they bore
which ones resisted which stood still
and fed the canes into the mill
till august eighteen-thirty-four
our duty now is not adore
but spread the word from plain and hill
that we bear their remembrance still
since august eighteen-thirty-four
to bow to those who went before
bearing the hoe and long cane-bill
who wept and worked at others' will
till august eighteen-thirty-four
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