You Never Gave Up

You were sucker punched

Taken by surprise

And thrown into a pit

Then left for dead

You were abandoned by your kin

Then sold to slavery

Before being entrapped

And eventually imprisoned

You were sold out

You were mistreated

Promises were broken

And gifts destroyed

You were in a swampland

But you never gave up

Bitterness was never a problem

And your heart stayed pure

And despite being angry

You never allowed hatred

To enter your soul

Or let your heart harden

You never gave up

Your resolve never vanished

And not only did you survive

But you thrived and you grew

How did you do this?

How did you flourish?

In the midst of tragedy

And be a powerful man

When others would be defeated

You never gave up

You kept on believing

And kept on going

Jo Anne Kennedy

August 2017