IN THE
IN THE QUARTER
IN THE QUARTER OF THE NEGROES
WHERE THE DOORS ARE DOORS OF PAPER
DUST OF DINGY ATOMS
BLOWS A SCRATCHY SOUND
AMORPHOUS JACK-O’-LANTERNS CAPER
AND THE WIND WON’T WAIT FOR MIDNIGHT
FOR FUN TO BLOW DOORS DOWN
BY THE RIVER AND THE RAILROAD
WITH FLUID FAR-OFF GOING
BOUNDARIES BIND UNBINDING
A WHIRL OF WHISTLES BLOWING
NO TRAINS OR STEAMBOATS GOING—
YET LEONTYNE’S UNPACKING
IN THE QUARTER OF THE NEGROES
WHERE THE DOORKNOB LETS IN LIEDER
MORE THAN GERMAN EVER BORE,
HER YESTERDAY PAST GRANDPA
NOT OF HER OWN DOING –
IN A POT OF COLLARD GREENS
IS GENTLY STEWING.
THERE, FORBID US TO REMEMBER,
COMES AN AFRICAN IN MID-DECEMBER
SENT BY THE STATE DEPARMENT
AMONG THE SHACKS TO MEET THE BLACKS:
LEONTYNE SAMMY HARRY POITIER
LOVELY LENA MARIAN LOUIS PEARLIE MAE
GEORGE S. SCHUYLER MOLTO BENE
COME WHAT MAY LANGSTON HUGHES
IN THE QUARTER OF THE NEGROES
WHERE THE RAILROAD AND THE RIVER
HAVE DOORS THAT FACE EACH WAY
AND THE ENTRANCE TO THE MOVIE’S
UP AN ALLEY UP THE SIDE
PUSHCARTS FOLD AND UNFOLD
IN A SUPERMARKET SEA.
AND WE BETTER FIND OUT, MAMA,
WHERE IS THE COLORED LAUNROMAT,
SINCE WE MOVED UP TO MOUNT VERNON
RALPH ELLISON AS VESPUCIUS
INA-YOURA AT THE MASTHEAD
ARNA BONTEMPS CHIEF CONSULTANT
MOLTO BENE MELLOW BABY PEARLIE MAE
SHALOM ALEICHEM JIMMY BALDWIN SAMMY
COME WHAT MAY – THE SIGNS POINT:
GHANA GUINEA
AD THE TOLL BRIDGE FROM WESTCHESTER
IS A GANGPLANK ROCKING RISKY
BETWEEN THE DECK AND SHORE
OF A BOAT THAT NEVER QUITE
KNEW ITS DESTINATION
IN THE QUARTER OF THE NEGROES
ORNETTE AND CONSTERNATION
CLAIM ATTENTION FROM THE PAPERS
THAT HAVE NO NEWS THAT DAY OF MOSCOW
IN THE POT BEHIND THE
PAPER DOORS WHAT’S COOKING?
WHAT’S SMELLING, LEONTYNE?
LIEDER, LOVELY LIEDER
AND A LEAF OF COLLARD GREEN,
LOVELY LIEDER LEONTYNE
IN THE SHADOW OF THE NEGROES
NKRUMAH
IN THE SHADOW OF THE NEGROES
NASSER NASSER
IN THE SHADOW OF THE NEGROES
ZIK AZIKIWE
CUBA CASTRO GUINEA TOURE
FOR NEED OR PROPAGANDA
KENYATTA
AND THE TOM DOGS OF THE CABIN
THE COCOA AND THE CANE BRAKE
THE CHAIN GANG AND THE SLAVE BLOCK
TARRED AND FEATHERED NATIONS
SEAGRAM’S AND FOUR ROSES
$5.00 BAGS A DECK OR DAGGA
FILIBUSTER VERSUS VETO
LIKE A SNAPPING TURTLE –
WON’T LET GO UNTIL IT THUNDERS
WON’T LET GO UNTIL IT THUNDERS
TEARS THE BODY FROM THE SHADOW
WON’T LET GO UNTIL IT THUNDERS
IN THE QUARTER OF THE NEGROES
AND THEY ASKED ME RIGHT AT CHRISTMAS
IF MY BLACKNESS, WOULD I RUB OFF?
I SAID, ASK YOUR MAMA.
DREAMS AND NIGHTMARES…
NIGHTMARES…DREAMS! OH!
DREAMING THAT THE NEGROES
OF THE SOUTH HAVE TAKEN OVER –
VOTED ALL THE DIXIECRATS
RIGHT OUT OF THE POWER –
COMES THE COLORED HOUR:
MARTIN LUTHER KING IS GOVERNOR OF GEORGIA,
DR. RUFUS CLEMENT HIS CHIEF ADVISOR
ZELMA WATSON GEORGE THE HIGH GRAND WORTHY.
IN WHITE PILLARED MANSIONS
SITTING ON THEIR WIDE VERANDAS
WEALTHY NEGROES HAVE WHITE SERVANTS
WHITE SHARECROPPERS WORK THE BLACK PLANTATIONS
AND COLORED CHILDREN HAVE WHITE MAMMIES
MAMMY FABUS
MAMMY EASTLAND
MAMMY PATTERSON
DEAR, DEAR DARLING OLD WHITE MAMMIES-
SOMETIMES EVEN BURIED WITH OUR FAMILY!
DEAR OLD
MAMMY FAUBUS
CULTURE, THEY SAID, IS A TWO-WAY STREET:
HAND ME MY MINT JULEP, MAMMY.
MAKE HASTE!