Middle Passage Diamante Poems

After studying the slave trade and watching part of the miniseries "Roots"  students worked in groups to create Diamante poems about the Middle Passage and the slave trade. Below are the poems that won the poetry contest.

Period One

From Freedom to Slavery

Freedom

Pleasant, enjoyable

Running, training, wrestling

Family, friends, chains, masters

Auctioning, coercing, slaughteringInhumane, dreadful

Slavery

By, Kevin, Alex, Ben, and Christian

Two Men

Toby

enslaved, abused

Whipping, tourturing, rebelling

Middle Passage, Slave Market, Africa, family

Wrestling, hunting, training

Fulfilled, free

Kunta Kinte

By, Jose, Bryan, Dondre, and Kyle

Period 4

One Man

Kunta Kinte

Free, powerful

Training, caring, wrestling

Warrior, Mandiga, abuse, helpless

Suffering, grieving, working

Lonely, hurt

Toby

By, Rachel and Heather

Traitors of Africa

Black Traitors/Slatees

Despicable, evil

Capturing, killing, betraying

Weapons, chains, warrior, Juffureh Village

Caring, respecting, working

Joyful, free

Kunta Kinte

By, Jeremy B. and Mwenda

Period Five

Capturing of the slaves

Village of Juffiree

Freedom, celebrating

Wrestling, hunting, running

Manhood, beatitude, captains, oceans

Chaining, whipping, killing

Sweltering, reeking

Below deck

By: Morganne Ottati and Shyla Gonzalez

The Sadness of One Man

Kunta Kinte

Playful, fierce

Wrestling, hunting, training

Free, Africa, America, slave

Working, whipping, beating

Depression, fearful

Toby

By: Ally, Emily, Bryan, Jasmine, and Richard

Slavery in America

Slavery

Unpleasant, vile

Whipping, killing, dying

Chains, death, virtue, righteousness

Living, loving, eating

Happiness, joy

Freedom

By, Nicola, Preston, Chris, David, Mark D.

Period Six

The Loss of Freedom

Freedom

Joyful, confident

Running, hunting, playing

Family, tribe, chains, master

Whipping, screaming, torturing

Painful, ghastly

Slavery

By, Joel, Michael, Brandon, Jonathan, Jose

A Dramatic Change

Juffufreh

Pleasurable, sociable,

Learning, hunting, loving

Mandiga, freedom, prison, slavery

Whipping, starving, sweating

Throbbing, weary

America

By, Laurissa, Everett, Cory, and Cody

Period Seven

Enemies of a Different Race

Mr. Slater

Maniacal, cold-hearted

Enslaving, capturing, lashing

Weapons, whips, grass huts, traditions

Sprinting, fighting, changing names

Tranquil, peaceful

Kunta Kinte

 By, Tom S. and Andrew B

Changing Lives

Africa

Free, extraordinary

Wrestling, growing, dancing

Pride, strength, loss, suicide

Dying, vomiting, wishing

Lifeless, loathsome

Middle Passage

By, Julie, Gianna, Tina

The Dance

Dancing of the Slaves

Foul, painful

Whipping, suffering, agonizing

Vomit, perspiration, ritual, Juffereh

Entertaining, leaping, stomping

Pleasant, joyful

African dancing

By, Toni, Elissa, and Katie

The Lesser of Two Evils

Mr. Slater

Strict, furious

Whipping, smoking, screaming

Pistol, overseer, captain, ship

Sailing, ordering, ignoring

Unsure of slavery, silent

Captain Davies

By, AJ, Steve O.  and Cliffy