Homework 6

lady in green

somebody almost walked off wid alla my stuff

not my poems or a dance i gave up in the street

but somebody almost walked off wid alla my stuff

like a kleptomaniac workin hard & forgettin while stealin

this is mine/ this aint yr stuff/

now why dont you put me back & let me hang out in my own self

somebody almost walked off wid alla my stuff

& didnt care enuf to send a note home sayin

i waz late for my solo conversation

or two sizes too small for my own tacky skirts

what can anybody do wit some thin of no value on

a open market/ did you getta dime for my things/

hey man/ where are you gain wid alla my stuff/

this is a woman's trip & i need my stuff/

to ohh & ahh abt/ ~addy / i gotta mainline number

from my own shit/ now wontchu put me back/ & let

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me play this duet/ wit this silver ring in my nose/

honest to god/ somebody almost run off wit alla my stuff/

& i didnt bring anythin but the kick & sway of it

the perfect ass for my man & none of it is theirs

this is mine/ ntozake 'her own things'/ that's my name/

now give me my stuff/ i see ya hidin my laugh/ & how i

sit wif my legs open sometimes/ to give my crotch

some sunlight/ & there goes my love my toes my chewed

up finger nails/ niggah/ wif the curls in yr hair/

mr. louisiana hot link/ i want my stuff back/

my rhythms & my voice/ open my mouth/ & let me talk ya

outta/ throwin my shit in the sewar/ this is some delicate

leg & whimsical kiss/ i gotta have to give to my choice/

without you runnin off wit alla my shit/

now you cant have me less i give me away/ & i waz

doin all that/ ti! ya run off on a good thing/

who is this you left me wit/ some simple bitch

widda bad attitude/ i wants my things/

i want my arm wit the hot iron scar/ & my leg wit the

flea bite/ i want my calloused feet & quik language back

in my mouth/ fried plantains/ pineapple pear juice/

sun-ra & joseph & jules/ i want my own things/ how i lived them/

& give me my memories/ how i waz when i waz there/

you cant have them or do nothin wit them/

stealin my shit from me/ dont make it yrs/ makes it stolen/

somebody almost run off wit alla ~y stuff/ & i waz standin

there/ lookin at myself/ the whole time

& it waznt a spirit took my stuff/ waz a man whose

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ego walked round like Rodan's shadow/ waz a man faster

n my innocence/ waz a lover/ i made too much

room for/ almost run off wit alla my stuff/

& i didnt know i'd give it up so quik/ & the one running wit it/

dont know he got it/ & i'm shoutin this is mine/ & he dont

know he got it/ my stuff is the anonymous ripped off treasure

of the year/ did you know somebody almost got away with me/

me in a plastic bag under their arm/ me

danglin on a string of personal carelessness/ i'm spattered wit

mud & city rain/ & no i didnt get a chance to take a douche/

hey man/ this is not your perogative/ i gotta have me in my

pocket/ to get round like a good woman shd/ & make the poem

in the pot or the chicken in the dance/ what i got to do/

i gotta have my stuff to do it to/

why dont ya find yr own things/ & leave this package

of me for my destiny/ what ya got to get from me/

i'll give it to ya/ yeh/ i'll give it to ya/

round 5:00 in the winter/ when the sky is blue-red/

& Dew City is gettin pressed/ if it's really my stuff/

ya gotta give it to me/ if ya really want it/ i'm

the only one/ can handle it

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