we insist
we insist
by reuben jacksoncopyright © 2003 reuben jackson
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we insist:
freedom now suite
the only scents
mother hated
more than
the cut-rate scotch
on father's breath,
were the body oils
worn by polite,
non-drinking
neighbors with
(as she put it)
"tongue twisting names"
who invited
my brother and i
beside the stereo
which never slept.
not to share
risque redd
foxx jokes,
but the names of
ancient kingdoms,
arabic names
and
prophets,
(nary a mention of ralph bunche)
and jazz
which did not coddle
or allay
america's
alabaster fears,
the way red devil lye
once scalded our nappy hair
into submission.
like malcolm x
bad mouthing
the man,
she felt it was
only a matter of time
before
we
would take on
truesdell elementary's
fair skinned faculty,
and be murdered --
or exiled to a land
without integrated
lunch counters.
reuben jackson
4/28/03
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| mark weber |
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February 25, 05 |
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"alabaster fears" ! great great line
you nailed that one Reuben, and i'm a white guy!
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