MY SUBWAY RIDE
SOUL FOOD
I’m exhausted.
Some folks turn up their nose at the mention of
My clothing is dusty and splattered with blood.
certain ethnic foods or will say, “Pork—not me!”
My breathing is labored because of tremendous fear.
Dare to utter the words, “chitterlings, hog maw,
Am I hyperventilating?
chicken feet, pig ears,” etc.
Who’s there? Well, la di da!
The sand…so much sand.
Were you aware the aforementioned was once a What is happening here? My subway ride. I’m consumed with disgusting newspaper info on Iraq. It is now a morning ritual. I sometimes feel transported—is it empathy? It’s time to find a substitute. I will, I will. For now I’ll read only the passengers’ faces.
Ruth Bryant
delicacy for slaves?
RETALIATION: WHEN DOES IT END? Two wrongs do not make a right. Enough already! When does it end?
The so-called “Master” had the cook throw the “slop” away. Hence the slaves confiscated discards and experimented with various garden herbs.
REALITY
Oh course, after somehow sampling these dishes—
Hey yaller gal,
the rest became a part of history. They became
why so high an mighty?
items listed under “Southern Cuisine Dining.”
Yo color shows whut happen to yo mammy. She don lay wif de big boss man—
Ruth Bryant
he took her virginity.
How is it humans can be decapitated on video, blown to smithereens, set afire, shot, hanged,
Cuz she work in de big house wid his fambily,
and dragged thru the street with jubilant
washen, ironen, cooken, cleanen, en layen.
observers cheering?
Yo don lib dere cuz yo de Creole. Yo cain’t call his chillun yo sistahs or brothars.
OR Cum down offer yo high hoarse an see de lite, Violating others’ religious beliefs by forcing
chile—use is still black. Dat’s right, help us.
them to disrobe, sodomize each other, rape,
We is tied being slaves.
put a leash or belt around their necks and have them crawl as though they were animals.
Let us know wen dey go to de opera or big ball or wen de innertain an is too busy to no
We are regressing, not progressing.
whut we do—den we kin make our move.
When does it end? Tanks.
Ruth Bryant Ruth Bryant
Situations
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Situations
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