ANGELFOOD

Setting it right ... for R CRUMB'S debased racist caricature of black womanhood, ANGELFOOD MCSPADE, and for other black girls everywhere ... and for all girls, everywhere.

So now you know.

I never thought of you

as if through others’ eyes

Good thing. You were, they said,

thrusting their n****r-tude upon your negritude,

too slow to be quick,

too thick to be slick,

too clumsy to be graceful,

too coarse to be tasteful.

And not for pigment do you lack

Could it be? You’re too dark to even be black.

And the folks from which you came

they said were to blame for your shame,

for the fruit falls under the tree.

Say the apple don’t fall far from the tree?

Then you must be kinda like ... me.

But ‘mama looka boo-boo’ " they shout.

Yo’ daddy so black, yo’ mama so stout.

Yeah, a ‘yo mama so fat’ joke

was the cruel fun they’d poke.

And I saw you walk away crying,

heartbroken, but headstrong, defying

anybody, anything to get you down.

But I never said a word, nor uttered a sound.

I thought I knew who you were meant to be

‘Cause the apple never falls too far from the tree.

But I let it go and said, 'we’ll see...'

And now we have, now haven’t we?

Look at you! No, let them see.

Once the fruit, now a beautiful tree.

Lanky and lean, all power and grace,

with a racehorse’s gait and a panther’s face.

Short nappy hair, yeah you a nappy head …

Ho!... not so fast… I see that’s not all.

You’re carrying something... looks like a ball.

Sittin’ wide-legged serving me tea ..

You got somethin’ to tell me … I think I see.

It’s another new season of the fruit and the tree

Soon, my child, sooner than quick,

how nimble Jack leapt over the candlestick

comes a new baby, a new black face.

Maybe someone to uplift the race???

Maybe she, suckled from your breast

will move about amongst the rest

and show how one who looks like you,

whom they called black and ugly too

will build a world that’s built to last

like the first black mothers in our ancient past.

Soon, daughter; the doctor is here.

Your daddy now leaves you in his care

My only wish is that you bestow

Upon your baby the love to grow,

to love, be strong, and fight the fight,

with truth and courage her way to light.

That’s how I want this record compiled,

my dearest, skinny, black, ugly child.

The doctor awaits; I have to go.

Maybe I talk too much, but now you know.

Reviews

[just rose.]

this would be amazing as spoken word. incredibly well done lines, the narrative is so solid, the voice so true. irony and cynicism and beauty and struggle and a knock-out last line. brilliant.

[Deeply Daisy]

this is my favourite one of your poems by far! Everytime I think, no i cant be bothered to read a whole lot of writing, but I will give it a glance. And I do and from the first few sentences, I am hooked line and sinker. Gifted.