I share this Jazz poem I penned for her first book party for her Autobiography that I had the honor of organizing nearly 30 years ago!...
i wanna talk about u (for
Assata*)
based
on John Coltrane’s treatment of the Jazz ballad
by ‘bro. zayid’
i
wanna talk about u…
wanna
talk about u
with
words that’ll sugar
the
hormones in yr brains
wanna
talk about u
until
there’s nothin more to say
wanna
talk about u
and
talk about u
and
talk about u…
about
u
black
woman
u
black
daughter
nurturer
worker
dancer
lover
u
rainmaker
of
freedom storms
sharp
as a crucifyin nail and sword
slippery
as an eel
steadfast
as a redwood
and
sweet
as honey…
i say
i
wanna talk about u…
wanna
talk about yr courage
wanna
talk about yr selflessness
wanna
talk about yr vision
wanna
talk
about u…
u
black
woman
black
daughter
black
mother
nurturer
worker
dancer
lover
u
rainmaker
of
freedom storms
glistenin
seed of fannie lou hamer’s sweat
and
bleeding welts…
i
wanna talk about u…
u
whose
pronouncements
shred
the flesh of oppression
like
the claws of the blackest panther
u
whose
expressions
crack
the testicles of cracker fascists
u
who
leave
me
breathless…
i wanna
talk about u…
wanna
talk about u
with
words that’ll make the enemy puke
wanna
talk about u
with
words that’ll make revolution
as
organic to us as okra and sweet potato pie
wanna
talk about u
with
words that’ll sketch u
dancin
with yr destiny
to
dance rhythms
composed
and arranged by a most hip moon
uuuuh!
i
wanna talk about u!...
with
words that’ll sugar
the
hormones in yr head
wanna
talk about u
until
there’s nothin more to be sd
wanna
talk about u
and
talk about u
and
talk about u
cause
i
wanna
talk
about
u…
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