WOMEN OF COLOR: Written for Jen and Irma
WOMEN OF COLOR:
[For Jen and Irma]
The sticthes of ropes weaved in their clothing..
Slavery, to sharecroppers daughter and African maiden.
One went in the wagons of segregation, of spittle and blue eyed
dust in her faces.
Terror and whips cost her red stripes and her tears
made her pain ask why?
When the day had noon.
Her daughters gathered her scraps
to make a dress.
Sewed together her distress
and her voices bellowed
"I am a free woman!"
Her kindred-daughters took away the Kinte' cloth and hid it under their pillows.
Yet, it has remained staying hidden for all our Women of Color.
She had new mothers who took freedom
and had forgotten; or had not known
what past had slashed on her back!
Only from notes of songs and the reading of her words from her cloths.
Whereforth does cometh this color?
Is it in the air of the foundation of Black America?
Is it in the columns of her doors?
Does it stumble in the dark faces of the women?
Will it traverse in the poet's verse?
Has it made a Women of Color?
Arise Mothers!
Arise Daughters!
We have new threads to sew!
Our sons, our daughters continue to be born....
And they grow..
UP
and die.. in streets.
To see us before them.
They see we have survived the freedom
to observe and be ones
of
Women of Color who writes...
"He or she who has colored boys and girls...have been sewn from
the Colors of Love."
--MIISRAEL
[You see I love you both!]
Happy Black History Month.
[For Jen and Irma]
The sticthes of ropes weaved in their clothing..
Slavery, to sharecroppers daughter and African maiden.
One went in the wagons of segregation, of spittle and blue eyed
dust in her faces.
Terror and whips cost her red stripes and her tears
made her pain ask why?
When the day had noon.
Her daughters gathered her scraps
to make a dress.
Sewed together her distress
and her voices bellowed
"I am a free woman!"
Her kindred-daughters took away the Kinte' cloth and hid it under their pillows.
Yet, it has remained staying hidden for all our Women of Color.
She had new mothers who took freedom
and had forgotten; or had not known
what past had slashed on her back!
Only from notes of songs and the reading of her words from her cloths.
Whereforth does cometh this color?
Is it in the air of the foundation of Black America?
Is it in the columns of her doors?
Does it stumble in the dark faces of the women?
Will it traverse in the poet's verse?
Has it made a Women of Color?
Arise Mothers!
Arise Daughters!
We have new threads to sew!
Our sons, our daughters continue to be born....
And they grow..
UP
and die.. in streets.
To see us before them.
They see we have survived the freedom
to observe and be ones
of
Women of Color who writes...
"He or she who has colored boys and girls...have been sewn from
the Colors of Love."
--MIISRAEL
[You see I love you both!]
Happy Black History Month.
I will second Mozell, Sister Miisrael! And on the last day of this month, such a beautiful closing tribute, and real as real can be!