Annotations for Speaker: Toni Blackman

The black woman's struggle.

The black woman's struggle.

Her head swings low like Sweet's chariot, but she ain't coming forth to carry you home.

Her head swings low like Sweet's chariot, but she ain't coming forth to carry you home.

She and her sister, carrying too much as it is.

She and her sister, carrying too much as it is.

Hello, my name is Toni Blackman.

Hello, my name is Toni Blackman.

I want to give a shout out to E.

I want to give a shout out to E.

Ethelbert Miller.

Ethelbert Miller.

One of the reasons that I've been writing for so long.

One of the reasons that I've been writing for so long.

Irving G.

Irving G.

Russell.

He's a very helpful brother.

Russell.

He's a very helpful brother.

I write a lot of four poems that have maybe seven words in them at the most.

I write a lot of four poems that have maybe seven words in them at the most.

So, um, I think today that's what I feel like reading.

So, um, I think today that's what I feel like reading.

And this one is called Accident at the Church.

And this one is called Accident at the Church.

The steeple toppled into the parking lot, causing the parishioners to scream, to actually care about one another.

The steeple toppled into the parking lot, causing the parishioners to scream, to actually care about one another.

Spell number three.

Spell number three.

I tried to write a poem about your eyes, but you kept staring at me.

I tried to write a poem about your eyes, but you kept staring at me.

Intercourse.

Intercourse.

Last night I made love to myself for the very first time.

Last night I made love to myself for the very first time.

There was absolutely nothing painful about it.

There was absolutely nothing painful about it.

Every Sunday.

Every Sunday.

Miss Lucy in that old tired red velvet hat struts the avenue as if it were the night.

Miss Lucy in that old tired red velvet hat struts the avenue as if it were the night.

And my final piece is written for my brothers who chant the pussy song.

And my final piece is written for my brothers who chant the pussy song.

Obsessed with vaginal chants of regions of acts of nonsense.

Obsessed with vaginal chants of regions of acts of nonsense.

Not moving us forward, stagnant we remain.

Not moving us forward, stagnant we remain.

Clutching to those concepts with which they have brainwashed us, with which they have controlled us.

Clutching to those concepts with which they have brainwashed us, with which they have controlled us.

Sex can be hypnotic if you allow it to be.

Sex can be hypnotic if you allow it to be.

Sex can be an escape if you allow it to be.

Sex can be an escape if you allow it to be.

The only true escape from reality is death.

The only true escape from reality is death.

And we are allowing it to happen one by one by one by one.

And we are allowing it to happen one by one by one by one.

We are an endangered species.

We are an endangered species.

Sex is not for our people, no.

Sex is not for our people, no.

We cannot allow it to happen.

We cannot allow it to happen.

For we, we must make love.

For we, we must make love.