Excerpt
andlt;Bandgt;Chapter 1andlt;/Bandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Iandgt;The stage is in darkness. Harsh music is heard as dim blue lights come up. One after another, seven women run onto the stage from each of the exits. They all freeze in postures of distress. The follow spot picks up the lady in brown. She comes to life and looks around at the other ladies. All of the others are still. She walks over to the lady in red and calls to her. The lady in red makes no response.andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;lady in brownandlt;/Iandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;dark phrases of womanhoodandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;of never havin been a girlandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;half-notes scatteredandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;without rhythm/no tuneandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;distraught laughter fallinandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;over a black girl's shoulderandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;it's funny/it's hystericalandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;the melody-less-ness of her danceandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;don't tell nobody don't tell a soulandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;she's dancin on beer cans andamp;amp; shinglesandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;this must be the spook houseandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;another song with no singersandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;lyrics/no voicesandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andamp;amp; interrupted solosandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;unseen performancesandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;are we ghouls?andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;children of horror?andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;the joke?andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;don't tell nobody don't tell a soulandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;are we animals? have we gone crazy?andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;i can't hear anythinandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;but maddening screamsandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andamp;amp; the soft strains of deathandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andamp;amp; you promised meandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;you promised me...andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;somebody/anybodyandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;sing a black girl's songandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;bring her outandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;to know herselfandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;to know youandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;but sing her rhythmsandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;carin/struggle/hard timesandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;sing her song of lifeandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;she's been dead so longandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;closed in silence so longandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;she doesn't know the soundandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;of her own voiceandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;her infinite beautyandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;she's half-notes scatteredandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;without rhythm/no tuneandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;sing her sighsandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;sing the song of her possibilitiesandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;sing a righteous gospelandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;let her be bornandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;let her be bornandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andamp;amp; handled warmly.andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Iandgt;lady in brownandlt;/Iandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;i'm outside chicagoandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Iandgt;lady in yellowandlt;/Iandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;i'm outside detroitandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Iandgt;lady in purpleandlt;/Iandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;i'm outside houstonandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Iandgt;lady in redandlt;/Iandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;i'm outside baltimoreandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Iandgt;lady in greenandlt;/Iandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;i'm outside san franciscoandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Iandgt;lady in blueandlt;/Iandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;i'm outside manhattanandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Iandgt;lady in orangeandlt;/Iandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;i'm outside st. louisandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Iandgt;lady in brownandlt;/Iandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andamp;amp; this is for colored girls who have considered suicideandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;but moved to the ends of their own rainbows.andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Iandgt;everyoneandlt;/Iandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;mama's little baby likes shortnin, shortnin,andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;mama's little baby likes shortnin breadandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;mama's little baby likes shortnin, shortnin,andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;mama's little baby likes shortnin breadandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;little sally walker, sittin in a saucerandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;rise, sally, rise, wipe your weepin eyesandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;an put your hands on your hipsandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;an let your backbone slipandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;o, shake it to the eastandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;o, shake it to the westandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;shake it to the oneandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;that you like the bestandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Iandgt;lady in purpleandlt;/Iandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;you're itandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Iandgt;As the lady in brown tags each of the other ladies they freeze. When each one has been tagged the lady in brown freezes. Immediately "Dancing in the Streets" by Martha and the Vandellas is heard. All of the ladies start to dance. The lady in green, the lady in blue, and the lady in yellow do the pony, the big boss line, the swim, and the nose dive. The other ladies dance in place.andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;lady in yellowandlt;/Iandgt;andlt;BRandgt;it was graduation nite andamp;amp; i waz the only virgin in the crowdandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;bobby mills martin jerome andamp;amp; sammy yates eddie jones andamp;amp; randiandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;all cousinsandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;all the prettiest niggers in this factory townandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;carried me out wit emandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;in a deep black buickandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;smellin of thunderbird andamp;amp; ladies in heatandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;we rambled from camden to mount hollyandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;laughin at the afternoon's speechesandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andamp;amp; danglin our tassles from the rear view mirrorandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;climbin different sorta project stairsandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;movin toward snappin beer cans andamp;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;GET IT GET IT THAT'S THE WAY TO DO IT MAMAandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;all mercer county graduated the same niteandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;cosmetology secretarial pre-college autoshop andamp;amp; businessandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;all us movin from mama to what ever waz out thereandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;that nite we raced a big ol truck from the barbeque standandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;trying to tell him bout the party at jacqui'sandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;where folks graduated last year waz waitin to hit it wid usandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;i got drunk andamp;amp; cdnt figure outandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;whose hand waz on my thigh/but it didn't matterandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;cuz these cousins martin eddie sammy jerome andamp;amp; bobbyandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;waz my sweethearts alternately since the seventh gradeandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andamp;amp; everybody knew i always started cryin if somebody actuallyandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;tried to take advantage of meandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;at jacqui'sandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;ulinda mason was stickin her mouth all outandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;while we tumbled out the buickandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;eddie jones waz her lickin stickandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;but i knew how to danceandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;it got soo hotandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;vincent ramos puked all in the punchandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andamp;amp; harly jumped all in tico's faceandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;cuz he was leavin for the navy in the morninandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;hadda kick ass so we'd all remember how bad he wazandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;seems like sheila andamp;amp; marguerite waz fraidandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;to get their hair turnin backandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;so they laid up against the wallandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;lookin almost sexyandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;didnt wanna sweatandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;but me andamp;amp; my fellasandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;we waz dancinandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;since 1963 i'd won all kinda contestsandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;wid the cousins at the POLICE ATHLETIC LEAGUE DANCESandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;all mercer county knewandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;any kin to martin yates cd turn somersaultsandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;fore smokey robinson cd get a woman excitedandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Iandgt;The Dells singing "Stay" is heardandlt;/Iandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;we dancedandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;doin nasty ol tricksandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Iandgt;The lady in yellow sings along with the Dells for a moment. The lady in orange and the lady in blue jump up and parody the lady in yellow and the Dells. The lady in yellow stares at them. They sit down.andlt;/Iandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;doin nasty ol tricks i'd been thinkin since mayandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;cuz graduation nite had to be hotandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andamp;amp; i waz the only virginandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;so i hadda make like my hips waz inta some businessandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;that way everybody thot whoever was gettin itandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;was a older man cdnt run the streets wit youngstersandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;martin slipped his leg round my thighandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;the dells bumped "stay"andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;up andamp;amp; down-up andamp;amp; down the new carver homesandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;WE WAZ GROWNandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;WE WAZ FINALLY GROWNandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;ulinda alla sudden went crazyandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;went over to eddie cursin andamp;amp; carryin onandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;tearin his skin wid her nailsandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;the cousins tried to talk sense to herandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;tried to hold her armsandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;lissin bitch sammy went onandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;bobby whispered i shd go wit himandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;fore they go ta cuttinandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;fore the police arrivedandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;we teetered silently thru the parkin lotandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;no un uhuhandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;we didn't know nothin bout no partyandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;bobby started lookin at meandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;yeahandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;he started looking at me real strangeandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;like i waz a woman or somethin/andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;started talkin real softandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;in the backseat of that ol buickandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;WOWandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;by daybreakandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;i just cdnt stop grinnin.andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Iandgt;The Dells singing "Stay" comes in and all of the ladies except the lady in blue join in and sing along.andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;lady in blueandlt;/Iandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;you gave it up in a buick?andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Iandgt;lady in yellowandlt;/Iandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;yeh, and honey, it was wonderful.andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Iandgt;lady in greenandlt;/Iandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;we used to do it all up in the darkandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;in the corners...andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Iandgt;lady in blueandlt;/Iandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;some niggah sweating all over you.andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Iandgt;lady in redandlt;/Iandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;it was good!andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Iandgt;lady in blueandlt;/Iandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;i never did like to grind.andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Iandgt;lady in yellowandlt;/Iandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;what other kind of dances are there?andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Iandgt;lady in blueandlt;/Iandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;mambo, bomba, merengueandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;when i waz sixteen i ran off to the south bronxandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;cuz i waz gonna meet up wit willie colonandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andamp;amp; dance all the timeandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;mamba bomba merengueandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Iandgt;lady in yellowandlt;/Iandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;do you speak spanish?andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Iandgt;lady in blueandlt;/Iandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;olandamp;$224;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;my papa thot he was puerto rican andamp;amp; we wda beenandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;cept we waz just reglar niggahs wit hints of spanishandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;so off i made it to this 36 hour marathon danceandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;con salsa con ricardoandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;'suggggggggggar' ray on southern blvdandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;next door to this fotografi placeandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;jammed wit burial weddin andamp;amp; communion relicsandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;next door to la real ideal genuine spanish barberandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;up up up up up stairs andamp;amp; stairs andamp;amp; lotsa hallwayandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;wit my colored new jersey selfandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;didn't know what anybody waz sayingandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;cept if dancin waz proof of originandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;i was jibarita herself that niteandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andamp;amp; the next dayandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;i kept smilin andamp;amp; right on steppinandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;if he cd lead i waz ready to danceandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;if he cdnt leadandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;i caught this attitudeandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;i'd seen rosa doandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andamp;amp; wd not be botheredandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;i waz twirlin hippin givin much quik feetandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andamp;amp; bein a mute cute colored puerto ricanandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;til saturday afternoon when the disc-jockey sayandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;'SORRY FOLKS WILLIE COLON AINT GONNA MAKE IT TODAY'andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andamp;amp; alla my niggah temper came outta controlandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andamp;amp; i wdnt dance wit nobodyandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andamp;amp; i talked english loudandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andamp;amp; i love you more than i waz madandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;uh huh uh huhandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;more than more thanandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;when i discovered archie shepp andamp;amp; subtle bluesandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;doncha know i wore out the magic of jujuandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;heroically resistin being possessedandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;oooooooooooooh the soundsandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;sneakin in under age to slug'sandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;to stare ata real 'artiste'andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andamp;amp; every word outta imamu's mouth waz gospelandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andamp;amp; if jesus cdnt play a horn like sheppandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;waznt no need for colored folks to bear no cross at allandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andamp;amp; poem is my thank-you for musicandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andamp;amp; i love you more than poemandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;more than aureliano buendia loved macondoandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;more than hector lavoe loved himselfandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;more than the lady loved gardeniasandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;more than celia loves cuba or graciela loves el sonandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;more than the flamingoes shoo-do-n-doo-wah love bein prettyandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;oyeand#232; neand#233;groandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;te amo mas que te amo mas queandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;when you playandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;yr fluteandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Iandgt;everyone (very softly)andlt;/Iandgt;andlt;BRandgt;te amo mas que te amo mas queandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Iandgt;lady in redandlt;/Iandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;without any assistance or guidance from youandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;i have loved you assiduously for 8 months 2 wks andamp;amp; a dayandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;i have been stood up four timesandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;i've left 7 packages on yr doorstepandlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Copyright andamp;copy; 1975, 1976, 1977 by Ntozake Shange