All I ever wanted to do
was learn
My first memory was of Momma sayin’
“baby girl,
if you can write

you can write
your way to freedom

you can be free

you can be free”

That was the last thing
my Momma ever said to me

The next morning
Mrs. Mason caught Momma with a book
She hit her

Daddy said Mrs. Mason
hit her so hard
that she fell asleep

I asked Daddy when
she was going to wake up




that was the first time


I ever saw my daddy




cry

I promised I was going
to complete Mommas dream
I was going to read


read my way to freedom

That day Mrs. Mason made me take
Mommas place
and be her personal helper




slave
it was good for me though

because it gave me the opportunity



and that night,


with daddy’s help…


I began to learn to read
and one day,
I’ll read my way to freedom

where my


Momma is.