CONTENTS
I
THE BLACK UNICORN
A WOMAN SPEAKS
FROM THE HOUSE OF YEMANJÁ
CONIAGUI WOMEN
A ROCK THROWN INTO THE WATER DOES NOT FEAR THE COLD
DAHOMEY
125TH STREET AND ABOMEY
THE WOMEN OF DAN
SAHARA
II
HARRIET
CHAIN
SEQUELAE
FOR ASSATA
AT FIRST I THOUGHT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT . . .
A LITANY FOR SURVIVAL
MEET
SEASONING
TOURING
WALKING OUR BOUNDARIES
EULOGY FOR ALVIN FROST
CHORUS
COPING
TO MARTHA: A NEW YEAR
IN MARGARET'S GARDEN
SCAR
PORTRAIT
A SONG FOR MANY MOVEMENTS
BROTHER ALVIN
SCHOOL NOTE
DIGGING
III
OUTSIDE
THERAPY
THE SAME DEATH OVER AND OVER
BALLAD FOR ASHES
A WOMAN/DIRGE FOR WASTED CHILDREN
PARTING
TIMEPIECE
FOG REPORT
PATHWAYS: FROM MOTHER TO MOTHER
DEATH DANCE FOR A POET
DREAM/SONGS FROM THE MOON OF BEULAH LAND I–V
RECREATION
WOMAN
TIMING
GHOST
ARTISAN
LETTER FOR JAN
BICENTENNIAL POEM #21,000,000
IV
THE OLD DAYS
CONTACT LENSES
LIGHTLY
HANGING FIRE
BUT WHAT CAN YOU TEACH MY DAUGHTER
FROM INSIDE AN EMPTY PURSE
A SMALL SLAUGHTER
FROM THE GREENHOUSE
JOURNEYSTONES I–XI
ABOUT RELIGION
SISTER OUTSIDER
BAZAAR
POWER
EULOGY
“NEVER TAKE FIRE FROM A WOMAN”
BETWEEN OURSELVES
FUTURE PROMISE
THE TROLLOP MAIDEN
SOLSTICE
A GLOSSARY OF AFRICAN NAMES USED IN THE POEMS