Just for a Thrill: Poems

James Baldwin

JAMES BALDWIN there is a story here without names like those who’ve never talked with you & know all about you anyway because in a city without alleys little eyes never stop their curious wanderings & sadnesses multiplied by sighs only a child can feel flood these hopeless echoing streets new names: Malcolm X Frederick Douglass Adam Powell join the ranks of monuments names grafted onto children a sign posting only our arrival & the direction of yesterday’s travels the current shadows are themselves never given names shielding a fear which stands in the light searching for alleys here where I told you before —mud puddles filled with reproducing sadnesses— 33 * fire each day we wonder when anger will once again arrive & excuses become the dripping response to the sun in winter an anger of living fire in the eyes of these young tenants of cities mugged by their “betters” anger instead of deadening silence anger replacing ventilating hovels anger pristine & dancing on the promenading tuxedos anger devouring nests of caterpillar limousines anger of the invisible suddenly arriving without announcement anger of the unwanted guest at dinner —this time come to stay— anger stretching its arms its fists landing on diamond studded teeth anger setting ivory & gold badges alight while the next scheduled stop is announced on the loudspeaker 34 * creationists ashes brick mortar water song wood plaster cement words dance chicken fried in the manner of the ancestors glowing hordes of the blackest skins humans can produce & these syncopated arms these arms! this is our greeting our gift to tomorrow all our masks thrown to the river our smiles worn to please ourselves alone 35 ...