Coraddi Magazine

The Story of Ede
Karis Taylor

The trees sing to me,
I listen.
I feel its skin,
as I walk down the trail.
While the soil leaves marks on my shoes
As I begin to take in the history.
One slave ran into this forest, to be free like the leaves.
With her baby,
fighting illness and hunger,
Scared, but hopeful
She continued to the journey of freedom with uncertainty, but hope thriving in her heart.
Today someone takes me to the trail,
And I learn to follow.
Not making a sound,
but opening my ears to it.
At times I slipped or lost my footing in the mud,
But still persisted on.
Knowing that if I were a slave,
My life would have been gone.
And she advances on.
Not knowing…
when her last step will be.
Not knowing…
if her own daughter will be free.
Not knowing…
if she will be free.
Freedom
When I see it, I stop, and admire its stature.
The Underground Railroad Tree.
But when she sees it, she stops, and cries.
“The tree to make me free”.
I look ahead, and see a tree with a nail,
And learn about its purpose.
She feels for that tree…
Wraps her arms around the bottom of its body and slowly…rises up,
Until she finally finds that nail.
And when my hand touches the nail,
I know I am in the right place…
The right place of history.
But when her arm hits the nail,
She knows…
To go…
Left.

Karis loves to help out others, spend time with good people, play video games, sing, write, and listen to music and poetry.

Instagram is @karingwords