Cosmic Zora
By Jacqueline Johnson
Word mambo,
elder,
prodigal,
owner of John-de-Conquer root,
golden daughter of Eatonville,
drylongso gal,
houngan's hand maiden,
owner of the speakerly text,
Janie's mouthpiece,
keeper of tongues,
silver singing trumpet,
song gatherer,
singer of work songs,
field hollers,
party tunes,
game songs.
Wealth was in collecting stories,
challenging Alan Lomax's thievery,
fighting with Langston to the early a.m.
A lone, brown woman wandering
about Harlem measuring heads or
off to Haiti learning dances of
loas Erzulie, Damballah.
Always out of time you,
barely had a home in the States,
found shelter in the Caribbean.
Eclipsed by jealousy,
poverty,
social blindness.
Carrying timbre of Bessie Smith,
living hand to mouth,
dealing for dollars where others
played for thousands.
Ancient market woman
exchanging lies
and half-truths for
long desired,
charmed life.
By Jacqueline Johnson
Word mambo,
elder,
prodigal,
owner of John-de-Conquer root,
golden daughter of Eatonville,
drylongso gal,
houngan's hand maiden,
owner of the speakerly text,
Janie's mouthpiece,
keeper of tongues,
silver singing trumpet,
song gatherer,
singer of work songs,
field hollers,
party tunes,
game songs.
Wealth was in collecting stories,
challenging Alan Lomax's thievery,
fighting with Langston to the early a.m.
A lone, brown woman wandering
about Harlem measuring heads or
off to Haiti learning dances of
loas Erzulie, Damballah.
Always out of time you,
barely had a home in the States,
found shelter in the Caribbean.
Eclipsed by jealousy,
poverty,
social blindness.
Carrying timbre of Bessie Smith,
living hand to mouth,
dealing for dollars where others
played for thousands.
Ancient market woman
exchanging lies
and half-truths for
long desired,
charmed life.
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