You say I walk faster than my shadow br And why not br There are too many shadows in Africa br Gloom, defeat, despair br All are in me br But I must transcend them br I must be what I must. br To the African jungle br White enslavers came with gun powder br To shoot me down if I ran br Like a monkey. br I was to go with them in chains br To the Americas. br I was to work their farms br I was to die if I fell sick. br The row-row water turned my belly br In big ocean-going vessels. br I was told to hush hush br Even when I would cry aloud. br When I got to America br They changed my name br Onyenachia is too long br You must bear Samuel. br No problem. br They give me a spade and br I begin to swot br Dig in br Dig out br Oops - are you tired already? br You black man silly - br Crack of the whip br And I begin to swot again br Dig in br Dig out br Work till dusk. br I pray br God I am sick of this br I need you to save me. br And he does. br The white man does no work br But soon he is tired of keeping me br Working for him br So he orders me to leave. br I rejoice br And return to the dark jungle. br To my chagrin br The shadows are still there br Gloom, defeat, despair br All are still in me br But the faces of my brothers are changed br They do not recall me. br Hello? br Even my language is strange br I plead br Shriek br Persuade br Coax br They cannot understand me br I am sick again br Not with row-row water br But with aloneness br I am sick sick sick of it br I pray br God help me br And he does. br Soon I must return to America br But not as a slave br Not as Samuel br But as Onyenachia again br A free man br Onyenachia Munachim.