The stage is in darkness. Harsh
music is heard as dim blue lights
come up. One after another, seven
women run onto the stage from
each of the exits. They all freeze in
postures of distress. The follow
spot picks up the lady in brown. She
comes to life and looks around at
the other ladies. All of the others
are still. She walks over to the lady
in red and calls to her. The lady
in red makes no response.
lady in brown
dark phrases of womanhood
of never havin been a girl
half-notes scattered
without rhythm/ no tune
distraught laughter fallin
over a black girl’s shoulder
it’s funny/ it’s hysterical
the melody-less-ness of her dance
don’t tell nobody don’t tell a soul
she’s dancin on beer cans & shingles
this must be the spook house
another song with no singers
lyrics/ no voices
unseen performances
are we ghouls?
children of horror?
the joke?
don’t tell nobody don’t tell a soul
are we animals? have we gone crazy?
i can’t hear anythin
but maddening screams
& the soft strains of death
& you promised me
you promised me . . .
somebody/ anybody
sing a black girl’s song
bring her out
to know herself
to know you
but sing her rhythms
carin/ struggle/ hard times
sing her song of life
she’s been dead so long
closed in silence so long
she doesn’t know the sound
of her own voice
her infinite beauty
without rhythm/ no tune
sing her sighs
sing the song of her possibilities
sing a righteous gospel
let her be born
let her be born
& handled warmly.
lady in brown
i’m outside chicago
lady in yellow
i’m outside detroit
lady in purple
i’m outside houston
lady in red
i’m outside baltimore
lady in green
i’m outside san francisco
lady in blue
i’m outside manhattan
lady in orange
i’m outside st. louis
& this is for colored girls who have considered suicide
but moved to the ends of their own rainbows.
everyone
mama’s little baby likes shortnin, shortnin,
mama’s little baby likes shortnin bread
mama’s little baby likes shortnin, shortnin,
mama’s little baby likes shortnin bread
little sally walker, sittin in a saucer
rise, sally, rise, wipe your weepin eyes
an put your hands on your hips
an let your backbone slip
o, shake it to the east
o, shake it to the west
shake it to the one
that you like the best
lady in purple
you’re it
As the lady in brown tags each of
the other ladies they freeze. When
each one has been tagged the lady
in brown freezes. Immediately
“Dancing in the Street” by Martha
and the Vandellas is heard. All