They rode north funky & uneducated
to live & let themselves rest:
I come here ghuddammit to make my way,
lazy or not, to own myself
open the touch of my fingers.
The southern twang
covers my language & I embarrass others
I never work but that is of others’ choice.
No one knows my virtues
yet tears split my flesh & I say I sweat…
Fats Waller added up everything
when the joint was jumpin “Don’t give yo right name no No NO”…
Copyright 1968, by Stanley Crouch.
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