Discussion: Poetry: Characters and Styles

lady in blue

i usedta live in the world then i moved to HARLEM

& my universe is now six blocks

when i walked in the pacific

i imagined waters ancient from accra/ tun.is cleansin me/ feedin me

now my ankles are coated in grey filth from the puddle neath the hydrant

my oceans -were life

what waters i have here sit stagnant circlin ol men's bodies

shit & broken lil whiskey bottles left to make me bleed

i usedta live in the world

now i live in harlem & my universe is six blocks a tunnel with a train

i can ride anywhere remaining a stranger

36/

NO MAN YA CANT GO WIT ME/ I DONT EVEN

KNOW YOU/ NO/ I DONT WANNA KISS YOU/ YOU AINT BUT 12 YRS OLD/ NO MAN/ PLEASE

PLEASE PLEASE LEA VE ME ALONE/ TOMORROW/ YEAH/ NO/ PLEASE/ I CANT USE IT

i cd stay alone a woman in the world then i moved to

HARLEM

i come in at dusk

stay close to the curb

The lady in yellow enters, she's

waiting for a bus.

round midnite

praying wont no young man

think i'm pretty in a dark mornin

The lady in purple enters, she's

waiting for a bus.

wdnt be good

not good at all

to meet a tall short black brown young man fulla his power in the dark

in my universe of six blocks straight up brick walls

women hangin outta windows

37/

like ol silk stockings

cats cryin/ children gigglin/ a tavern wit red curtains bad smells/ kissin ladies smilin & dirt sidewalks spittin/ men cursing/ playin

The lady in orange enters, she is

being followed by a man, the

lady in blue becomes that man.

'I SPENT MORE MONEY YESTERDAY

THAN THE DAY BEFORE & ALL THAT'S MORE N YOU

NIGGAH EVER GOTTA HOLD TO

COME OVER HERE BITCH

CANT YA SEE THIS IS $5'

never mind sister dont pay him no mind go go go go go go sister

do yr thing

never mind

i usedta live in the world really be in the world

free & ~weet talkin good mornin & thank-you & nice day

uh huh i cant now i cant be nice to nobody

38/

nice is such a rip-off

reglar beauty & a smile in the street is just a set-up

i usedta be in the world a woman in the world i hadda right to the world

th~n i moved to harlem for the set-up a universe six blocks of cruelty piled up on itself a tunnel

clqsin

,

39/