Sunday, May 4, 2008

dance sweetly




















(I got inspired,

macon d)


dancing white people


thanks to what they’ve
come to think of themselves
and of others

it’s actually true:
most white people can’t dance

at least not very well

but when they get up and move
against the life-long
contra-distinctive training
that tells them it’s other people
who embody The Body
and thus can move those bodies well

and that it’s white people
who embody The Brain
and thus can’t move their bodies well

then when white people dance
it can be a sweet thing to see

but such waltzing is not easy

any time a caged white bird
sings through its body the audacious hope
that its fettered existence isn’t permanent
and that it too has a dream

the audience response is
not without laughter

but amidst the catcalls
at the pratfalls
and the tight white lips
and the creaky jerky hips

the better laughter expresses
not derision and condemnation
but appreciation and admiration

so dance white people
shake off your money-makers
proclaim your emancipation

rock your white houses
until their doors pop open
and your spirits find their light

6 comments:

  1. Self hared and/or prejudice turned upon oneself can be nothing but destructive and counter productive.

    ReplyDelete
  2. this was awesome.

    and spoke a little bit to what I was just writing about.

    ReplyDelete
  3. "Self hared and/or prejudice turned upon oneself can be nothing but destructive and counter productive"

    What in the world does sagacioushillbilly mean by this? The poem is inspiring, alive, beautiful and joyful. I see no self-hatred or prejudice!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Glad you like it, Sarah and Anonymous!

    I woke up and wrote it in the middle of the night a few nights ago.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Fantastic poem, very inspiring.

    And while I can't claim certain knowledge of SH's intentions, I think he meant his comments as an agreement with the initial analysis of white paralysis so displayed in the poem.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Beautiful poem. Awesome blog. I'm blown away. And I'm adding you to my blog roll.

    ReplyDelete

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