So You Told Me Slavery Was Over

so you told me slavery was over.
people were no longer bought and sold.
you said it was abolished by william wilberforce. 

you said wicked men came and forced free people onto ships in chains.
they had no choice. 
you said they were kept in degrading conditions
by those who cared more about money than humanity.

you said they were bought and sold at auction.
families torn apart in seconds.
you said they were forced to work long hours with no regard for their person.
you said escape was near impossible
they were trapped by stronger men.

it was seen as acceptable you told me,
no-one objected. 

no-one really cared.

we said how could they do that?
we'd never have accepted it
we would have put it right

you said the slave trade continued until a small group of people recognised it for what it was, 
disgusting
inhumane 
perverse

you said they worked hard to have the slave trade abolished.
then you told me it was finally all over.
 
bye bye slave trade
hello freedom

but what about today?

what about women promised better lives and then sold like cattle?
what about those kept in degrading conditions 
by men who care more about money than humanity?

what about children whose names are replaced by numbers?
those forced to satisfy the lust of 12 men a night?
what about those with no escape 
who are trapped by stronger men? 
 
how could you tell me it was over when it so clearly isn't?

you said it was seen as acceptable.
noone objected. 
noone really cared.
not us we said 
we'd have seen it for what it was,
disgusting 
inhumane
perverse
how could they have been so blind?
we would have put it right
we would have been abolitionists

but what about today? 
do we see it for what it is?

do we care?
or do we think it's acceptable?

will we be abolitionists?