"the earth in our bones" I marcus amaker I Anson Street African Burial Memorial

the earth in our bones
Commissioned by the Charleston Gaillard Center for the dedication of the Anson Street African Burial Memorial (December 14, 2025).

1.
the land
we stand on
has a long,
deep memory.

it can recall
every name
that has been
lost by time
or buried
by racism.

in the infinite
aftermath
of our death,

it will
remember us
and the way
we walked.

it will know
how we
took care of
our garden,

& the way
we honored
the stories
laying underneath.

2.
Charleston’s ground 
has been
telling us
the truth 
this whole time.

if we are
quiet enough
to listen,
 we can feel
her history
press against
our bare feet
when we
walk through
Hampton Park,

we can sense
the messages
that were
written in the pluff mudd
near Mosquito Beach,

we can honor
36 pulses that were
silently vibrating
under the surface
for centuries,

and touch hands
with Ancestors
through the
invisible veil
of time.

with each
day that passes,
Charleston
whispers:

you are
standing on a story.

3.
our Ancestors
knew this.

their hands
held an intimate
relationship
with the earth,

they dug deep
into their roots,

grew generations
through wisdom,

sang praise
poems
to God,

& wrote stories
that we will be
communicating with
forever.

4.
the attempt
to erase history
is powerless
against
permanent
markers.

the earth
speaks a language
only the heart
understands.

every time
your fingers
feel the land,

know that
your Ancestors
are touching back,

reminding us
that the past
is never gone,

& asking us:

do you fully
understand
the weight
of your
belonging,

the weight
of your freedom?

what will you build
with us now?

what kind of future
will your hands
underline
in permanent ink?

what kind
of story
will you write?

5.
i see the future
of our city
leaning in,
waiting to hear
what we will
do now.

i see children
who will grow up
knowing that George street
is not just an address
but an altar.

i see a Charleston
where the curriculum
starts with rest,

where our bodies
begin & end
on the ground,

where field trips mean
touching dirt
& saying “thank you”
out loud.

i see the people
of Charleston
paying attention
to their hands.