Ronald Montgomery

Escape from Cape Coast Castle and Home Again Ronald Montgomery

The REAL prison is in the recesses of a man's heart... During the years that slavery thrived, an estimated 12-25 million men, women and children were stolen from the continent of Africa. Many of these unfortunates spent their last days at home, languishing in the bowels of Cape Coast Castle. In caverns deep and dark, they were caged by the thousands. There, they awaited the floating prisons that would take them to unknown places - cages that would strip their humanity and smoother the sound of their voices. Their languages would be lost - effectively silencing them for many seasons.

The Cape symbolizes a prison that caged the minds, hearts and spirits of these slaves, and their descendants. The prison that the author explores with the reader is not Cape Coast Castle. It is not the bowels of great ships. Instead, he delves into the experiences of souls held captive by anger, passion and pain, on a journey that chronicles his study of the human condition. For this exploration, he writes first of his own experiences, and then expands his work to include stories of those who have influenced his perceptions of what life has to offer. In his poetry, he transports the reader on a journey to rediscover and revive the primal lost voices of our ancestors. On this journey, he sometimes describes the mirrored walls of self-discovery. At other times, he talks of a world seen through bars - a world in view, but out of reach. He escapes into the hearts, and minds of others to explore the depth of common experiences and feelings. Exercising what seems an unfettered imagination and practiced storytelling skills, he captures life's nuanced experiences and explores the hidden recesses of the heart.