Honestly i had no idea it was International Women's day till i opened my Instagram account. I was having a normal day,minding my own business well in fact my boss's business when I should have gotten a day off to pamper myself.
In celebration of this glorious day i share with you a monologue by the Lady in Brown from the above mentioned play. Most of us know this as the movie starring Janet jackson among other beautiful and talented ladies. This is a play by the amazing playwright Ntozake Shange, a poet and a self- proclaimed black feminist well according to the internet but in my opinion ; She is an extraordinary human being, a phenomenal woman.
•
LADY IN BROWN
dark phrases of womanhood of never havin been a girl half-notes scattered without rhythm/ no tune distraught laughter fallin over a black girl's shoulder it's funny/ it's hysterical the melody-less-ness of her dance don't tell nobody don't tell a soul she's dancin on beer cans & shingles this must be the spook house another song with no singers lyrics/ no voices & interrupted solos unseen performances are we ghouls? children of horror? the joke? don't tell nobody don't tell a soul are we animals? have we gone crazy?
i can't hear anythin but maddening screams & the soft strains of death & you promised me you promised me . . . somebody/ anybody sing a black girl's song bring her out to know herself to know you but sing her rhythms carin/ struggle/ hard times sing her song of life she's been dead so long closed in silence so long she doesn't know the sound of her own voice her infinite beauty she's half-notes scattered without rhythm/ no tune sing her sighs sing the song of her possibilities sing a righteous gospel let her be born let her be born & handled warmly.
Happy International women's day. Be kind to yourself. Love yourself, flaws and all.
i can't hear anythin but maddening screams & the soft strains of death & you promised me you promised me . . . somebody/ anybody sing a black girl's song bring her out to know herself to know you but sing her rhythms carin/ struggle/ hard times sing her song of life she's been dead so long closed in silence so long she doesn't know the sound of her own voice her infinite beauty she's half-notes scattered without rhythm/ no tune sing her sighs sing the song of her possibilities sing a righteous gospel let her be born let her be born & handled warmly.
Happy International women's day. Be kind to yourself. Love yourself, flaws and all.
