My New Prose “slumbering Savannah” Now On Masticadoresindia

Posted on by jonicaggiano
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA – Photo and Prose by Joni Caggiano

The swamp claws its way through the mud. Water moccasin waking late in the winter’s artful sun. Hiding in the putrid belly of the forsaken shade of the brown-haired trees, he lay gazing. He sees in black and white. Stalking prey with a proud skinny neck and blockish head, he hunts.  Choctaw child, feet raw from walking, they sink in the shallow brackish water of the Bayou. The underbelly of the swamp is thick and buries her boney ankle as her soul hollers a fearful song.  Pulling her shrimp and fishnet close, like a babe to breast, she seals the smell of her succulent catch.  Vegetation swallowing half-eaten creatures torn by gators, which display the leftover putrefying flesh like trophies under logs.

Please go into MasticadoresIndia ( now called ChewersMasticadores ) to read the remaining prose and to read the short historical part of the Civil War that inspired this post.  

29 thoughts on “My New Prose “slumbering Savannah” Now On Masticadoresindia”

    1. Thank you so much Nigel. It is a horrific story and a true one. The movie Staring Will Smith (who is one of my favorite all time actors) stars in a newer movie called Emancipation. It is simply hard to hold the tears back when watching this movie. I certainly could not. I appreciate your very kind words. I am so grateful for women and men like Martin Luther Kind who did so many things to help change the racism in the Country. Yet, even today it continues to exist. May you and your family have a blessed week.

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  4. Such a great piece of writing dear Joni, and very descriptive.. I find myself reading the prose again after reading the historical part of the Civil War that inspired your post.

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    1. Thank you Henrietta for your comment. I uncovered even more things that are too horrible to even write about, and that coming from me, well let’s just say that they are things you don’t want in your mind. I don’t know how the other slaves kept their family members who were whipped alive during that time. The fluid would have been draining out of their backs so quickly I don’t know how they managed but they were a faithful group of people. I believe God was with them and of course he heard their sorrowful cries. When I studied jazz I learned that some of the first songs written were a way of singing that allowed the slaves to talk to one another in the field. As in most farms they were not even allowed to speak while working. The plantation owners found that they worked better, produced more if they were allowed to sing. That is how that got information to one another. Thank you again for reading dear Henrietta. May you and yours have a truly blessed week, love Joni

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    1. Thank you so much, I really appreciate that you looked at the history and that it made the story more relatable and powerful. In doing the research for this story, I found out some things about slavery and discrimination in our country that were so awful that I had to verify that they were true, which they are. I won’t reference them here because I can’t stop grieving about them and I don’t want anyone else to have to endure that.

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    1. Amen my friend. It is devastating to read that anyone’s life due to color, is seen as less important or more important. I live in the South and after traveling all over with my family, my father being in the military, I can honestly say that racism is definitely taught. When we lived on base ( I was very young – I never questioned why my best girl friend was a different color and I can honestly say I never thought about it) We had friends from many different countries I am sure. It wasn’t until we left base to move to the red brick home (little house of horrors) that I saw people being mean to black children. I left NC as soon as I finished college and thought surely it was different now. The cost of living was horrid in the Seattle area, so we moved back and it is really not that different then anywhere else. Racism is alive and well everywhere and that says an awful lot about the state of our world. Thank you for reading dear Cassa, sending you lots of love and hugs, Joni

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      1. Joni, it is incomprehensible why we categorise people. We have names, as individual breathing beings. Isn’t that enough? I agreed with you that racism is taught. How we role model our children makes a whole lot of difference.

      2. Amen Cassa it is the absolute truth. “In Somalia alone, 7 million people are on the brink of famine, In the Baidoa and Burhakaba districts, growing numbers of children are already dying.” From what I can tell this is a quote from the World Bank – this was as of Dec. 22, so not that long ago. The difference and me – there is none (except for the Grace of God Go I) I was just fortunate that I was not born in one of the poorest places in all the world. I honestly believe if those individuals were white – the money that is sent by many in the US for example, for aid, would actually get to where it is suppose to go. So yes Cassa we are on the same page my dear friend. Love you sweetie

    1. Thank you so much Allan that is the best comment you can give a writer. I truly appreciate your kindness and your reading my publication. We are well and I hope you two are doing good and weather permits you to get out a bit. I have just been very busy on a project. Sending blessings to you two and your families and wishing you both some safe adventures this winter. Big hugs, Joni

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  10. Thank you so very much Shobana. I did feel very passionate about this specific write. It is based on such a horrific true story that my heart was bursting with sadness. Thank you for reading. Don’t ever feel badly if you try to comment or like something on my site and it doesn’t work. One of the reasons I have been on twitter and instagram so much is that I continue to have so much difficulty with WordPress. When I like other people’s post, I hit the like button and do my comment. By the time I am done with my comment the like button is already off, so I hit it again and wait to make sure it stays on before I hit send. I am tired of fighting with WordPress. Thank you for your kind response my friend.

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    1. Thank you Tiffany that truly means a lot. This piece and racism is what made me truly want to stay away from NC when I grew up. We moved back because I was sure it would be better but it is still so bad. Also I feel like racism still is everywhere in the US. Blessings dear friend and thank you for reading and your kind comment. 🌹🦋❤️

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