American Poetry Now: Pitt Poetry Series Anthology

Wanda Coleman

Wanda Coleman’srecentbooksincludeOstinatoVamps,WandaColeman— GreatestHits1966–2003,andTheRiotInsideMe:MoreTrials&Tremors, andher poemshavebeenincludedinanthologiessuchasTheBestAmericanPoetry, TheNortonAnthologyof AfricanAmericanLiterature, andTroubletheWater:250 Yearsof AfricanAmericanPoetry.Colemanhasreceivedfellowshipsfromthe GuggenheimFoundation,theNationalEndowmentfortheArts,andthe CaliforniaArtsCouncil.ShewasawardedtheLenoreMarshallPrize fromtheAcademyof AmericanPoetsandwasabronze-medalfinalistforthe 00NationalBookAwards.BornintheLosAngelescommunityof Watts andraisedinSouthCentral,sheresidesinSouthernCaliforniawithher husband,AustinStraus,andfamily.  4 Wanda CoLeMan Lady Sings the Blues 1969 1) ihaven’tbeenconceivedyet haven’tbeenborn yetLadyHolidayissingingmyblues twenty-threeyearslaterhereiamearsdeep intohersong,notesburninginmysoul wordsdecadesoldstilltootrue,caughtup inthesameol’slavery/love-for-a-black-manslavery get-up-in-the-morning-face-another-dayslavery cry-lonely-in-the-nightslavery listeningwhileLadyswingsmyblues burningoutmysoul witholdnamesfornewtensions can’tpaytherhetorictensions dyinginTheDreamtensions too-black-for-some-folktensions carryepithetsinself-defensetensions twenty-threeyearsdeep intoLadyDaywringingthewhiteoutmyblue 2) Ladyknewaboutthejive-assedbrotherstogether withtheir“philosophy”thebig-mouththebigword thebig-wowtalkingthecausesweet-tongued,zip-witted zigzagB-bruthasallplayalltheaterallcurtaincall&nocastparty Ladyknewaboutthehoursbetweengigs whenhungerisblues.thehoursbetweenlovings whenhungerisblues.thehoursbetweenlaughs tryingtokicktheain’t-shitblues, goinghometogreetthedustandtheechoof alife i’monmykneesrocking ontheflooronmykneesgroaningonthefloor intothescratchyhi-fidelity onmykneesasisingalong twenty-threeyearsforeverbluesingoutmybrowneyes  4 Wanda CoLeMan andiwonderasiromancethenight willibeunluckyandlivetomorrow? 3) autumn—notinNewYork—butinmyheart evergreensandrose-goldOctobersunsets goingtomyheadastheairblowsinoff thesea Lady—nowaterfronts,butcement&neon carepackagesof sausages&chocolate, love-stainedletterstomymaninVietnam autumn—notaleaf turning—butmyhope spinningfantasiesfromcobwebs&cracks Lady—nowaterfronts,butcement,neon&padlocks 4) aturnfortheblues,iamthesofa-boundodalisque fendingoff theworkdaywithaheavydose of moonlightchasedbysparklingburgundybrew essenceof daze-eyedandhaunted,heartbreaknever feltsoluminouslyrendered—soregrettablywise Los Angeles Nocturne EternityendswhereHollywoodbegins tobethere istoscarf andstrangle onthosecoolthicklidsandhotbrowneyes istopossesstheunpossessible/feverandcure istoignitethosecoldstarsoverAvalon (likestumblersthroughlong-unpavedhearts lookingforthebackentrancetolove) istosettheminadreamscapeof asphalt&desire aseaof tightambition&loosethighs  4 Wanda CoLeMan andiwonderasiromancethenight willibeunluckyandlivetomorrow? 3) autumn—notinNewYork—butinmyheart evergreensandrose-goldOctobersunsets goingtomyheadastheairblowsinoff thesea Lady—nowaterfronts,butcement&neon carepackagesof sausages&chocolate, love-stainedletterstomymaninVietnam autumn—notaleaf turning—butmyhope spinningfantasiesfromcobwebs&cracks Lady—nowaterfronts,butcement,neon&padlocks 4) aturnfortheblues,iamthesofa-boundodalisque fendingoff theworkdaywithaheavydose of moonlightchasedbysparklingburgundybrew essenceof daze-eyedandhaunted,heartbreaknever feltsoluminouslyrendered—soregrettablywise Los Angeles Nocturne EternityendswhereHollywoodbegins tobethere istoscarf andstrangle onthosecoolthicklidsandhotbrowneyes istopossesstheunpossessible/feverandcure istoignitethosecoldstarsoverAvalon (likestumblersthroughlong-unpavedhearts lookingforthebackentrancetolove) istosettheminadreamscapeof asphalt&desire aseaof tightambition&loosethighs  4 Wanda CoLeMan southerlyoff Graham,streetlampswavelikeraffia whenearthquakes.nightprowlers cruisejungletojungle,anxioustoscorethelight noreservationstonight.it’sadress-downaffair stilettoslikehigh-pitchedhopesheard stabbingdownsidewalkswhile behindslammeddoorstheMolochstally ill-gottendreamsandlow-hungcoupestake stopsdoin’theSouthCentralRoll theunreachableunbreachableunteachables handsshovedsodeepintopockets theycanfeelthenextworld remembertheParisianRoom remembertheCaliforniaClub rememberMemoryLane NormandiezigswhereJeffersonzags (youtoocantouchit.asmuch asyouwant youtoocantasteit.asmuch asyouwant thereiseverythingtofeel.there.throbbings inyourpalmslikemyheart) EternityendswhereHollywoodbegins Soul Traveler notdispersingbutcontainingblackness itwastheendingandsorerunsbegan Amazonstyle,summercamecalling, friedbrainsandall.dumbfounded inLosAngeleswheremosquitoesdrowse  4 Wanda CoLeMan southerlyoff Graham,streetlampswavelikeraffia whenearthquakes.nightprowlers cruisejungletojungle,anxioustoscorethelight noreservationstonight.it’sadress-downaffair stilettoslikehigh-pitchedhopesheard stabbingdownsidewalkswhile behindslammeddoorstheMolochstally ill-gottendreamsandlow-hungcoupestake stopsdoin’theSouthCentralRoll theunreachableunbreachableunteachables handsshovedsodeepintopockets theycanfeelthenextworld remembertheParisianRoom remembertheCaliforniaClub rememberMemoryLane NormandiezigswhereJeffersonzags (youtoocantouchit.asmuch asyouwant youtoocantasteit.asmuch asyouwant thereiseverythingtofeel.there.throbbings inyourpalmslikemyheart) EternityendswhereHollywoodbegins Soul Traveler notdispersingbutcontainingblackness itwastheendingandsorerunsbegan Amazonstyle,summercamecalling, friedbrainsandall.dumbfounded inLosAngeleswheremosquitoesdrowse  4 Wanda CoLeMan innoondayheat,bloodlustdrainedfrom tropicaleyes,theairthinasahaint’sbrassiere luxmobilestooktheheightslikellamas wheredollarsshinefromforeheadsassmooth aspolishedfenders,andfromoversized designerpocketbookstotedundershaved andflavoredunderarms,breastsrevealed inbrightcolors,tanktopsandbustiers negraAfroangel patthosecheeksinSpanish, thosetooroundstrutters—alingodugbyall quietlythere’sreciprocationinsnatches fromwhistlinglips,sunbeamsandpostersof JamesDean (shytouristgirl,afaceallacneand inexperience,shareshermother’s privatesmile.“buysomething,sometrinket. supportthelocaleconomy”) theemissaryfromG.O.D.callsherover, placesthesilvercrossatherthroat,fixesher withagateeyes,fingerssplayedagainst herhips.shefollowshimtotheotherside of themoon,countsthehoursunderazure, feignsreachingsforherpen note:plastictrashbags,cheapjewelry,theebonycatinthecradle sheismadeof oceanspray, condorfeathersandmemoriesof sin Baptism riptidewashesover andthedepthsof oceanicrhythms correcteveryeffingmistake. 0 4 Wanda CoLeMan innoondayheat,bloodlustdrainedfrom tropicaleyes,theairthinasahaint’sbrassiere luxmobilestooktheheightslikellamas wheredollarsshinefromforeheadsassmooth aspolishedfenders,andfromoversized designerpocketbookstotedundershaved andflavoredunderarms,breastsrevealed inbrightcolors,tanktopsandbustiers negraAfroangel patthosecheeksinSpanish, thosetooroundstrutters—alingodugbyall quietlythere’sreciprocationinsnatches fromwhistlinglips,sunbeamsandpostersof JamesDean (shytouristgirl,afaceallacneand inexperience,shareshermother’s privatesmile.“buysomething,sometrinket. supportthelocaleconomy”) theemissaryfromG.O.D.callsherover, placesthesilvercrossatherthroat,fixesher withagateeyes,fingerssplayedagainst herhips.shefollowshimtotheotherside of themoon,countsthehoursunderazure, feignsreachingsforherpen note:plastictrashbags,cheapjewelry,theebonycatinthecradle sheismadeof oceanspray, condorfeathersandmemoriesof sin Baptism riptidewashesover andthedepthsof oceanicrhythms correcteveryeffingmistake. 0 4 Wanda CoLeMan theyarenotinthisroom.justthesounds (theboomshockaboomrattlingfloorboards) marginalized—fromtheleftandtheright iamvisitingthisstereophonicpast becausei’mnotonlythirstyingeneral butabloodthirstyblood andwaterequalspeaceof mind anunhurriedsoakinthetub tosooththesavageintheveins likeaglassof liver-corrupter thelightlanguorof liquorgoingtohisheadandmind theunpaintednudes—fourhundredpounds of rawdo-it-to-me/thesamewaysnakesdance thenoisypassionof loversfullhitch thisistheplaceinthemusicwhere thesoloiststepsuptothemike andobsessesoveranear andthecouchesandtablescatchfire andthere’saburning inthethickness Exoteric whatislife’spurpose? changediaperswhennecessary howwethinkaboutdeath openthewindow.it’shotinhere whatweclingtointhemidstof change yourcoldhand.letmewarmit  4 Wanda CoLeMan theyarenotinthisroom.justthesounds (theboomshockaboomrattlingfloorboards) marginalized—fromtheleftandtheright iamvisitingthisstereophonicpast becausei’mnotonlythirstyingeneral butabloodthirstyblood andwaterequalspeaceof mind anunhurriedsoakinthetub tosooththesavageintheveins likeaglassof liver-corrupter thelightlanguorof liquorgoingtohisheadandmind theunpaintednudes—fourhundredpounds of rawdo-it-to-me/thesamewaysnakesdance thenoisypassionof loversfullhitch thisistheplaceinthemusicwhere thesoloiststepsuptothemike andobsessesoveranear andthecouchesandtablescatchfire andthere’saburning inthethickness Exoteric whatislife’spurpose? changediaperswhennecessary howwethinkaboutdeath openthewindow.it’shotinhere whatweclingtointhemidstof change yourcoldhand.letmewarmit  4 Wanda CoLeMan ...