AT DENOUEMENT FINE ART/INDPLS.,in. 1990

The Alo poem was written in about one week.It took three weeks to bring it to heart. Etheridge ran me through my orals and so did Steve.The poem was received well and became a signature piece.

ATLANTA /GA. 1979 / we were the only non-black family in a settlement across the tracks

• Next to the house I GREW A CORN FIELD / THEY KNOCKED IT DOWN /BooBoo and Shirley/ sisters /neighborhood teens / they held a switchblade taut against my pregnant belly /I was already hurt/they were/violent yet sweet as Violetslets...

Taos or bust /Orlando or sink /New Orleans or dance in the east village

1. I WANT TO twitter/blogging is passe. no one sends me their poems or comments on mine. i KNOW THEIR ARE MISTAKES BUT AT LEAST i got to share a stack of papers i never thought I WOUYLD EVER DEAL WITH /this is quick and efficent /like a mix-master / No one becomes my follower /I DIDN'T THI

   NK ITR WOULD BE LIKE THIS /but I should known /art is always like this /kinda private /kinda no one is really that interested /a side-line /like a freak show/a bit more pale.

1982 /arriving in Indpls., a family of eight , deep consideration

1. The sun closes its' eyes / on expected phone calls / unanswered business /leaving the dark loneliness of my heart's desire /to the cold night /of my dreams / a person's character is not formed until the closing breath /in this world / a chatter of birds and folks gratus / is all we really need / my nerves in uneasy buzzing of bees robbing my bones......

Quincy JONES Dad /HOOSIER apartments /across the street from the gallery /1992

1. MR Shade lives across the street /in Federal Housing/T.V.'S line the crib. Cold cash under the bed/Shade is careful/packs a piece/ dances and sings /plays the invisible sax /he come from the Bronx /makes me wanna cry.

The Magic Shoppe /on 42nd St.,NYC,BEHIND THEWURLITZER PIANO STORE

1. OLD MEN CRYING IN THEIR HATS / TEARS LIKE WORDS /I FIND SOMEONE HAS SLIPPED into my personality /as though through a trap-door....

FLEA POEM /STRAWTOWN SPECIAL / peddler series

• I peddle things like my dad did in the 40's /Asian paintings / the figurine / like Pearl Harbor / denial of the races / wind whips today / we soldiers in art / know the pain /

flea market poems /the downtime /the wait

1. woman stands with blue basket of flowers/dried wisps/and a cow shopping bag/she is part cow,,

Danny leaves the house of the mother and father

1. This wild woman and gentleman look to golden meadows and deep rivers/glistening smiles joy. We Try to understand Sissy / MOVING /her voice still in the air/ her hair bow on the sink/the sound of the hair dryer/faint/the impression of a contact case on the washer... TH

The lilac are in bloom and we're stuck in the Bronx

• I sit next to two-hundred paintings..I NEED THE COLOR/IT STIMULATES MY HEART.The feather boa is flying in the wind/garbage trucks honk on their breaks/the sea-birds swoop past the window.IT is idylic and consentrated slice of the pie. I know we are going to reep the benifits of the work that we have already done /yet we can never be sure / doubt lurks at my very core. I WANT TO SMOKE MY BRAINS/EAT CHOCOLATE AND SWIM IN A HTEL POOL. When the clash comes /where will we be /the clash isn't even a reality / the only reality is the bank account/how will we pay the taxes on our farm / how will we be able to shop at thrift stores without feeling guilty that we are spending rent and food money. When I LIVED WITH NO OVERHEAD I FELT GOOD /this New York burden grates my nerves...

Part of Tiny Tasha /Eye of wave /salt/smile/flies

1. Crackheads calling dead meat/thin-lipped junkie ego home /enough is enough/the bald eagle chases the chicken /we part ways /you swim too slow /you swim too slow /A $5 day /a blues way /a lampshade life/a set up/no show /show/my smile outdistances your mistrust /the artist is always out of line /

Erhel Ackerman / paintings of fashion models

• Her first husband left /at the Thanksgiving meal /he walked right out with her brother's wifeand she never heard from them again. She was holding her two small daughters . sHE LIVES ACROSS THE STREET IN A WOMEN'S HOME /SHE WHEELS HER PAINTINGS IN A SHOPPING CART. sHE IS WIND-BLOWN

the flea market on 26th /no longer there /I SOLD THERE IN 1997

• We have to leave a path for big Al who at noon drives a two-ton truck to the back of the market / an African brother helps him unpack / /unload broken metal tools /rain damaged merchandise /albums /musical instruments /cheap paper goods / He's burly with red chest hairs / he does well

IF YOU USE IT /YOU LOSE IT

1. What I got in to / the earth / the quiet

1990 /indy /never finished / like the rising of bread /birth

• We strut on the street /chest in theair / a BIRD PERCHED ON OUR BREAST / gREY YELLOW FEATHERS /WINGS FLUTTER /TO ASCEND / A COAT HOLDS IT FAST / A RED/WINE HAT KNOWS Y

  OU / BETTER THAN ANYONE ELSE / IT TREATS YOU RIGHT

older piece /never placed / never finished

• Anger flows /til it flows no more /jus' sits in the corner /bowing to the life / the little ones /who rise each day /eat and play

Henry /our dear friend /used to go in fridges that were in the houses of very poor people /he saw what they ate

1. I AM SOMEONE ELSE /WHERE ARE THe YEARS TOGETHER / HERE WE ARE IN the Belmont section of the Bronx /you return to your roots /I follow you /your path / I am in Chinatown walking past columbus park up Doyers / pAST MY GRANDFATHER'S STORE /kites and tea pots / It is time for me to check you out / my body can not take the usual punishment / I've seen death like the frozen canal I want it this way /

part of long poem /never completed

• my big mouth you say /you wanna hear a poem /a lie / you / wanna hear another poet's work / in a cafe /without me by your side /you justa see me dead than on stage / horray for the twenty-eight years /we're finally alone / with the shopping cart /the one we never had back in indy / obstructing your prep area /like cheating on my diet / taking another dollar for a cheeseburger /or eating the end of the pot....

SONG OF JEALOUSY /SERIOUS FEAR AND INSECURITY

1. i'M A THIRD CLASS CITIZEN LIVING IN A FIRST CLASS CITY /WEARING A FIRST CLASS SMILE / WONDERING HOW MY HUSBAND FEELS ABOUT THIRD WORLD WOMEN ON W/B'WAY RUBBING THEIR NIPPLES /PUTTING THEIR BUTTS IN HIS FACE /YET OUR LIPS TOUCH /A RITUAL /Hello and goodby kisses---

Eye of salt/smile/flies like undertow and die

1. /MUMIA LOUIMA /DIALLO MUMIA /LOUIMA /DIALLO

OLD PIECE /1980 / gEORGIA/ THE WHIP AT PALISADES PARK WAS MY FAV

1. tHE rOLLERCOASTER MAN AND THe Whip lady / appealing itself /stradling the red road /til mud fills the river /with holes to catch you and make you pale /What's good about death /you could live /and our children are afraid /one eye lunges out at me / in confusion / can you see the testing /where are we going to find goodness / we always jnow as truth / forgive me GOd / FORGIVE ME / YOU COULDN'T BE DOING BETTER WITH NO PLACE TO GO NOTHING TO DO...

a note

the sound of coins clinking in my pocket / freedom /like clean socks

a note

the sound of coins clinking in my pocket / freedom /like clean socks

gifts for the poor /X'MAS '93,FLETCHER PLACE

1. FATHERS GET NOTHING /NO STOCKING FILLED WITH SOAP /SUCKER OR TOILET PAPER CARDBOARD WITH MINIATURE TOOTHPASTE / THE TEENAGE TABLE /ONE CARTON OF BOXER SHORTS PER CHILD /ONE COMPLETE SUIT OF CLOTHES /dANNY STIL PLAYS WITH DOLLS [i LIE ] 2nds from department stores/ ping-pong tables laid out with gifts / slippers /t-shirts / rainbonnets / soap / volunteer ladies with glass ball earings bright sweaters yell at the parents / we mothers and fathers carry the bburdens /black bags filling up /the smell of mold / a rusty gym / a turkey scribbled across an index card/ a family large enough to receive a frozen bird/ navi wants a boat /

may 3 ,1995;sitting at Bargersville in the barn

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   service comes / the setting up /tearing down /gearing up /in the name of love/ when dad said we would never have material joy /mostly it's true /we never know anything /and love just grows like the lilies of the valley through the sidewalk/mostly

Rosecity,Madison,N.J.,part of a humorous poem 1996

to view my masterpiece/husband lick lips /wet thighs /he's mine / I will tell them quietly / no wet for my husband / no licking of lips

Indiana sometime in the nineties /Yo Blood still drips

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  writing poems in the bath is a po' poets job