Harriet Tubman aka Moses Poem Tablet, Ruggles Station - Boston, MA
Posted by: Groundspeak Regular Member NorStar
N 42° 20.225 W 071° 05.365
19T E 327872 N 4689317
This stone tablet in the main corridor of the Ruggles multi-modal transporation center has a poem inscribed in it written by Samuel Allen about Harriet Tubman, who lived near this location.
Waymark Code: WM8M7X
Location: Massachusetts, United States
Date Posted: 04/17/2010
Published By:Groundspeak Regular Member PTCrazy
Views: 5

In Boston, in the Roxbury section of the city, is Ruggles Station, a multi-modal transportation center that has a stone tablet with a poem inscribed about Harriet Tubman, AKA Moses.

The tablet is inscribed on both sides. The south side (side facing the Orange Line heavy rail entrance) is where the poem begins. The poem is as follows:

Side 1

Harriet Tubman
aka Moses
by Samuel Allen

High in the darkening heavens
the wind swift, the storm massing
the giant arrow rose, a crackling arch, a sign
above the fleeing band of people,
joy figures in the canebrake
far below.

In the distance, moving up quickly
came the patterrollers
bloodhounds loping, silent.

Minutes before, one of the fleeing band had fallen
the others for a moment waited
but he did not rise.
A small dark woman stood above him.
His words were slow to come and more a groan:

Can't make it, just can't make it
You all go head without me.

Moses pulled out her revolver and she quietly said:

Move or die.

You ain't stoppin now
You can't stop now
You gonna move
Move or die.

If you won't go on
Gonna risk us all
Ahma send your soul to glory, I said move!

Long time now, I got it figgured out
Ev'ry Child a God got a double right. death
or liberty, Move now
or you will die.

Listen to me

Way back yonder
down in bondage
on my knee
Th' moment He gave his promise
I was free.
(Walk, children!)
He said that when destruction rages
he is a rock
Rock of Ages


Side 2

Declared that when the tempest ride
He just come mosey
straight
to my side.
(Don't you get weary!)

Promised me the desprit hour
be the signal for His power
Hounddogs closing on the track

Sunlight

and the thunderclap!
(How you get weary?)

Bloodhound quickenin on the scent
Over my head, yesss
the heavens rent!

O He's a father he is a mother
A sister He will
be your brother
Supplies the harvest, He raises up the grain
O don't you feel - it's fallin now
the blessed rain.

Don't make no difference if you weary
Don't mean a hoot owl if you scaird
He was with us in the six troubles
He won't desert you in the seventh.

Get on up now
That's it, no need a gettin weary
There is a glory there!

There be a great rejoicin
no more sorrow
shout 'n nevvuh tire
a great camp meetin
in that land.

By fire in heaven she was guided
saved by stream
and by water reed
by her terrible grimace of faith
beautiful and defiant,
Till the moment in the long journey
came the first faint glimpse
of the stars, the everlasting stars shining clear
over the free
cold
land.


Supposedly, the Harriet Tubman House was located at the corner of Massachusetts Avenue and Columbus Avenue, about a half mile from this location. One web site mentioned a museum there, while a comment to that site stated that there was nothing to see at that location. I'll have to investigate this further some time in the future.
Sources

NU Web at NEU.EDU (Harriet Tubman AKA Moses by Samuel Allen):
Visit Site
Civil Right Type: Race (includes U.S. Civil Rights movement)

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