Ntozake Shange Poems

my father is a retired magician
which accounts for my irregular behavior
everythin comes outta magic hats
or bottles wit no bottoms & parakeets
...

every 3 minutes a woman is beaten
every five minutes a
woman is raped/every ten minutes
a lil girl is molested
...

you are sucha fool/ i haveta love you
you decide to give me a poem/ intent on it/ actually
you pull/ kiss me from 125th to 72nd street/ on
the east side/ no less
...

where we come from, sometimes, beauty
floats around us like clouds
the way leaves rustle in the breeze
and cornbread and barbecue swing out the backdoor
...

at 4:30 AM
she rose
movin the arms & legs that trapped her
she sighed affirmin the sculptured man
...

Fragrant breezes in the South
melt to melodies round small fires
mount tree limbs
with bodies black
...

one thing i don't need
is any more apologies
i got sorry greetin me at my front door
...