Wednesday, July 15, 2009

We're going on a squeegie hunt/(a child's chant/Danielle used to love)

  • This blessing from my son recants the already difficult journey ahead. We've set on goals on the impossible and yet the impossible has attached itself to us. We've wandered in to the desert before and come out with the wind howling at our feet and a fierce sense of identity.

Sunday, July 5, 2009

We try to work through our fears and heartaches/life has been long and painful

We crawl to the lake on all fours/it is this gesture which brings us to the camp.The children are whistling with the birds/they have never felt better.

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Back upstate where my heart stand still/where I FLOODED THE WASH house and am awaiting a big party

When I went down the basement/the snake that lives there came striding up to me and crossed over to the sculpture pedestal. I knew that he was hungry and that the frog or turtle that both live down there were not enough to satiate his love of food. I took the reptile and put him down at the canal. Strawberry preserves are boiling on the stove. I am confused about the whereabouts of some of the grandchildren. what can I can I do to let their parents know how appreciative I am at this time.

Friday, June 26, 2009

blues poem for the children of the world;cross my heart/hope to die

  • I GREW UP WITHOUT A FATHER/l said,lowering my eyes/she just looked through me/and asked if I WAS comfortable in my body.

Saturday, June 20, 2009

racism in thisworld/how misguided love turns to hate

a head game/interon-line the fear never has chance to rear it's head communication one partner bouncing off the other except me

on Father's Day/2009

Thursday, June 4, 2009

GOING to Boston/ South Street / an exhibition of STOLLER 'S work

  • Plain City dolls and antiques / soup and crackers / kids in fancy van / truck stop / Christmas morn / cold potatoes / up high in river towns / always back to the highway / re/cess/ion hits/no soap / lamps with b
    ulbs
    / heat / real people / live / in real houses

1992/IN UNIVERSITY / A meeting with GWEN BROOKS

  • I never extended my love / nor did I BEND my neck in reverence/ I SHOULD HAVE / YOU / MISS BROOKS / GET INTO THE MEAT OF THE BONE OF LYRICS

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

unpublished poem/1980/Through the Birth of NAVAHJO

  • She marches to birth / like an execution set / fire/ the sun wound round the corner / the fire in your eyes turns to hate /. pushing/playing / praying/we sit in a circle /telling stories / how do we carry the children home/ with dirty faces / and muddy feet / waiting for the bread to rise/boosting / one last turn..

Thursday, May 28, 2009

Northland Lake / 2006 / the basement of our building is a closed shoe repair shop

  • Strap of heel / toe /esquire / apron /marble top bench / Rose waits / you burnish and stretch leather for one dollar-fifty ...

Thursday, May 21, 2009

Poem for Attrition/ I work the Temp. agencies/ I am sweet sixteen

  • I SIT IN CHURCH DURING MY LUNCH breaks/my head is in my hands. I dream of a husband/I AM sixteen and afraid of being alone in later life. I GO to Tucson and meet Steve. I WAIT FOUR YEARS for him to call. We have six babies /constant as the sun/ I keep them safe in a small room. NOW they are afraid and sit in church with their heads down / i HOLD THEM TIGHT / they cry about injustice / they want toy/ Igive them sticks and cloth / send them to wor
    k
    in the restaurants / STEVE DRIVES THEM AROUND IN OLD CARS/this love story goes on and on into the fifth dimention / I WANT TO BE IMMERSED IN WATER and buy a babypool for the backyard/ WE UP AND LEAVE iNDIANA AND RUN THE HILLS OF little Itay/N.Y.we polish the floor and sleep on a mat/ I WAIT FOR you on the stairs /money falling out of your pockets / The paintings snug on a rolling cart / You are happy with our new life / but we have falklen asleep one too many times on our feet / Our eyes have saeen enough / The whole cityknows you as the man who can't be stopped/we quit our jobs and move to the Bronx / now we dream about death / nO ONE CAN WAKE US / WE ARE frozen in the apartment /our necks snapped.

Saturday, May 16, 2009

YEAR OF the Monkey / inspired by living on Mulberry street for seven years

the shoeman is bored / his eyes rivet /his face remains constant / the beginning of spring /an ancient chant / we will become the Chinese dancers /we will steal the yellow lantern and the red dragon / we will take the ginseng and chew it for power/

Friday, May 15, 2009

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

entering a place which cannot be found again

  • WE LAY ON THE BED LOOKING OUT the window /children are carrying buckets and fishing poles. DOVES ARE FLYING in and out of the eaves. It is dawn and we are full of energy.

My only daughter says minimize,mom

  1. I SAT BY THE KITCHEN SINK FOR MANY YEARS WITH A BABY IN MY ARMS. looking out the window I COULD SEE A WORLD WHICH had very little to do with me. WHEN THE time came I RAN. My running shoes carried me to the ends of the world. I ENTER A

N ABANDONED building and crank up the sounds. IT IS FILLED with books and memorabilia.I LAY DOWN ON THE FLOOR AND TAKE A LONG WINTER'S NAP. While I'M sleeping a knock comes at the back door,it is my daughter, ''Where the hell are you,don't you know that dad needs you.''

Monday, May 11, 2009

Okema Trailer Park /April /'04

  • Sue visited me at the Pomodora Place in Tampa Hills / and it is real empty / bunches of houses real close together and no place to plant corn /The traler is still good for us . I SURE WISH pAUL WOULD GET HAPPY AGAIN /YOU KNOW i HAD SOME IDEAS WHEN He was young and in the service /you know Winnie and PAUL HAD SOME PROBLEMS before she got sick....Call your daughter and see if you can get her to come to the hospital / and visit / every mother needs their daughter at a time like this / take some time to heal /take care of yourself /send three dollars for the pillow slips /the tiger / the kitten and the doggie

Okema Trailer Park / April/'04

  • Call your daughter / and see if you can get her to the hospital and visit / every mother needs their daughter at a time like this /sEND ME THREE DOLLARS FOR THE PILLOW slips / the tiger/kitten / and doggie /

series never completed /2004 /Okema Trailer Park

  • We are about to go crazy/ then PAUL SHOWS UP / I knew his life was not the clubs like first he thought/ I knowed Paul since I was a little girl /and you and nanaw would come down / We moved to the trailer park about the same time Winnie died.......

yr.2000 /Mulberry Street /We are discouraged

  • Nothing /comes from nothing /the eye knows /what the heart sees / We sleep close / to the paint / the box sits next to the mattress /my journal lies / kissing the tubes

Saturday, May 9, 2009

FLEA MARKET SERIES a dump /waste of time

  • A frail woman wearing a bicycle helmut / caresses my egg-shell plate with blue roses / I STAND A SHIUELD AGAINST THE SUN /HOLDING MY UMBRELLA / sHE WANTS TO TALK ABOUT MY TOOTHLESS MOUTH /SHE'S SURE THAT I WOULD BE MORE ATTRACTIVE WITH DENTURES / SHE BUYS THW PLATE /RIPS ME OFF FOR TWO DOLLARS.I'LL get her back next week.

Thursday, May 7, 2009

HOLD THE DAY BACK /A FLAG

  1. Janet's gone /Now I'm the fem-fatale of the building /country folks /AFRICA /MEXICO /P uerto Rico /Dominican Republic / Lupe cook crystal Meth on wEDNESDAY /WE STAY HOME /THE BUILDING IS BURNING /BABY-GIRL IS BIRTH

work unti it hurts /fight /put your soul into it

  • Steve says you can't go back / old friends from childhood / we are working at the Hudson river / you are tired and lean on fence to paint /

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

seems there are two baby sister poems

  • Dear baby sister /you're only forty / a line from Elizabeth /I want to hold you / oh no / how good you've grown / and no one knows /li' sis /the skinny one who eats french fries /whose head's on backwards / the good one /the good sister / the leah / the les / the more / you will find love /in your backyard again / between the stones and the blades of grass you whiustle in Central Park through / CENTRALI / YEAS MY VISION SAYS YOUR MATE'S IN sAN sALVADOR / HE'S BLIND BUT he knows your eyes / when you gonna stop pushin; /jus'cept the dayz n' nights / long though sometime they seem /lil' sis /the one who tried crack cocaine /married the INDIAN man jus' to help him immigrate / married the man with the son / the one whose jewish and alone /lest she lose her heritage /my sister /the one with the marble eyes /pink skin / and golden hair / the one who stretches her body up and sideways / Inside and out / my you are some woman / you didn't have to be sent away / you ran away /with pigtales /and a pack on your pack / no rosebud hands / they never let us go /they wanted our power /and they held us back miss les /Miss Les /miss le/ah /le /ah /your eastern religions took growth in you and not one fuckin' person knew /you were cut /and were taught /no one understood / you are

To STEVE / FROM THE gREYHOUND Bus

  1. JUST RIDING OUT NOW / I APPRECIATE THE TRIP / THE GETAWAY / THE HOME BOUND / THE BREAK IN ROUTINE BUT i LOVE YOU AND i LOVE nEW York /but I miss the kids /back home / the D,P,N AND A /BESIDES YOU HAVE A LOT to look at while I'm gone --I liked the kiss at the subway station /you know the workshop is the 7th /so spread the word /thereare fliers in the yellow box next to the bed / cross the old date out / It's too bad that I DIDN'T GET TO THE nEWYORICAN ON Wed. /I wanted to---This bus is stuck in the Lincoln tunnel / IT WILL BE A LONG ride /stay busy / I'LL BE BACK 'FORE YOU get too mad or sad or what yoiu do when I'm not there...

IV----E.K. funeral in Indianapolis-1991

  • The Death /The life / the here now / the incarnation of suffering / we cool down / the language transcends / the papers /who will buy the papers / the paranoia / YOU CANNOT COVET AN ARTIST / When push comes to shove /it's you /me /Elizabeth /and STEVE / wHERE IS MY VOICE / MY GREATEST ALLY / tHE METAPHOR SHINES / THE IMAGINATION CRAWLS / THE addictions surrendered to love / to death / WE'RE WORKING ON IT / They said at the va hospital / remember / it's in the telling / / all the warts never showed / we are keepers of great truths / our silence is golden..

PART 111 /e.K.'s funeral /Crown Hill Cemetary 1991 -March

  • Mrs. taylor /ETHERIDGE'S MOM LOST IT / THE LAST VIEW / SAYING GOODBYE TO jUNIOR / HER BABY BOY / THEY TOOK HIS HAT AND pALESTINIAN SCARF / AND CLOSED THE BOX / bLY RODE WITH fRAN /jEAN /AND GROUPIES / BACK TO free WILL baptist Church / for a chicken supper / just the way he would have wanted it / I sat with Yusef / we talked more than we have ever had / a rec room in the basement /the kids in small rooms / we ate and saw each other as one / all one / We wait...

over the hole at the CROWN hill Cemetary for Etheridge KNIGHT ; a great poet /dear friend

  • fLOWERS /glads carnatioins / so soft that no one could hear the coffin as it is lowered into the hole / WE KNEEW HE WAS GONE /FOR NOW / HIS SPIRIT LINGERS CLOSE / HIS PERSONALITY SINGS IN EACH OF US WHO KNEW HIM / WE ARE HIM /HE IS US / tHE BOX / THINLY COVERED WITH A LAyers of flowers / On the program /a picture of E.K. IN HIS aFRICAN HAT ..wHERE IS THE pOET / AND A GOING HOME POEM / A GIFT / THIS FUNERAL IS A GIFT FROM THE FAMILY / A FINAL GIFT FROM the KNIGHT FAMILY / tAKE SOME FLOWERS /THEY SAY / A TOKEN / OUR LOVE /OUR BROTHER /THANK-YOU N
    OTES
    WERE GIVEN / AND THE PAPER FANS /

Etheridge knight's Funeral /April '91 / Our family loveds Eth /he gave us hope at a critical time

His sisters brought mums to set on the coffin at the cemetary / a red/white cross covered w/flowers held a note; i LOVE YOU Dad ,Zack /sat at his head / nurses ran to catch your second tear with tissue /The corpse of E.K. /IN A SILVER/HARDWARE WOODEN BOX AT THE fREE Will bAPTIST /FOUR MINISTERS /ONE PRIEST /ALL LOVING /Stories about his goodness /the sisters burst into hysteria at different times of the service / HIS NIECE cANDY HYSTEWRICAL /THE love he gave is coming back / each friend had a poem or letter they had written to Mr. E.K, eLIZABETH SAT IN THE FRONT WITH tHE FAMILY /Solid as rock / the final viewing / the procession / poets all assigned to sit on the left /the heart side / Steve Ziliak held Jude/in his arms /Steve holding me / Holding him / Patricia and lan /Richard and Ash / lost in the malaise of folks / Patricia never got to say I LOVE you to Etheridge after he bought her painting / Tandy's birthday /the 23rd / Patricia sang three songs at the cemetary/ I SAID tHE bONES of My Father / and The Sun Came / jean crouched

mama /Sue / what fell off Battleground POEM /1981

  1. sHE LOVED WHITE FOLK /FOR GIVING HER WORK /AND SHE MISTRUSTED THEM FOR NOT PAYING HER ENOUGH / nEWLSON WAS DIfferant / he only had love / HE COME OVER AND SING TO Us /sit and drink coffee /tie the babies shoes and do whatever he had the strength to do / he bought big sticks of perermint downtown and bring us a bag of pieces...

NOTES / EARLY WRITINGS NEVER PUBLISHED / 1981

  • MOSTLY WE'D RAT ON ourselves /like trying to get the individual grants for children born in Canada / moneys owed to us for birthing babies in Quebec...Trying to get Federal programs for our children while living in a slave quarters in rural Georgia / it was a law that school kids have electricity and running water in their homes / I'd crave something to take me out of this reality and into a feelingless place / My psyche remained sub-divided..I read to the kids by candlelight and we bathed babies in the Oconee River / When our eldest got on the schoolbus in the morning their eyes sparkled and their vision was keen ..They tested five years ahgead of themselves /

A LOVE POEM TO sTEVE /1992 /iNDPLS. /FINDING THE FOCUS

  • fLOWERS Grown in snow / your quiet ways /you whisper my name /little bird /faygola /fanny /francy / I sit alone /TRY TO jUMP start myself /I hear you / I GIVE YOU POEMS /TALISMANS TO HANG AROUND YOUR NECK / Gold waves dance on the bed / a cold nose presses against my shoulder blades /what of this love / what of this love / your eyes drink me / the stories /JIMMY anJudy the twins dancing in the courtyard in QUEENS /aND rosie hitting me in the stomach for lying 'bout winning the IPANA pONY....

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

1977/we return to the city ,NY,after thirty yrs / we are enthusiastic

  1. I am always clutching /papers / like my mother clutches her keys /Moses /moses levy stoller / now fourteen yrs. old dissappears in to the crowds of Chinatown /wew ponder nights /the demons finally leAVE / cHINESE ELDER WOMEN /KNEES BENT WALK/SWIFTLY /PRETTY COTTON-PRINTED SHIRTED SISTERS WITH SHOR HAIR ONE LOUSE FALLS ON MY BACK /WE KNOW THE DREAM IS REAL /mOSES /NOW 14YRS OLD HAS NEVER LEFT SMALL TOWNS BEFORE / Moses//We drive a hard bargain/Steve paints and I poet...

JULY /1997 /ARRIVING in N.Y. ,for the 4th time



  • We settle Mulberry Stree /Steve paints a picture for survival...we ponder nights ..wonder...make it moses levy Stoller /we slewep on the floor /MOSES/Moses / moses LEVY stoller / the demons finally leave /one after another / with no one to tell / chinese elder woman /knees bent /walk swiftly /pretty cottoned print sisters /sandals and short hair /one louse falls on my back and we know the dream is real /around Chinatown and Little ITALY /A marketplace/ Moses /now fourteen yrs. old disappears into the crowd . Holicost summer Applecity / this rock city / we drive a hard bargain /we have our artillery /weapons --the poems --the paintings...