The Essential Etheridge Knight by Etheridge Knight

Author:Etheridge Knight [Knight, Etheridge]
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
Publisher: University of Pittsburgh Press
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

POEM FOR THE LIBERATION OF SOUTHERN AFRICA

have danced in ecstasy

(That's all—all I got

But for Love)

That leaps and sings across the sea

To the cell of Nelson Mandela

Sitting with his / own / self on Robbins Island

That precious prison of South Africa,

While Nelson Rockefeller is hailing fellows

for burying bones in the prison moonlight of Attica—

(That's all—all

but for Love)

And Time and drums

Beating Black feet beating

The dust. Dancing. Memories

Like fire. Dancing. Feet

Dangling from a lynching tree

In liberated Mississippi—

(That's all—all

But for Love)

And white mission / aries becoming “revolution / aries”

And hiding their crosses

Between their legs—

They huddle in circles then hurry away

To demon / strate

(And sing your wet eyes O Mother Africa.)

“Leaflet the banks.”

“Down with the krugerrand.”

“March on the embassies.”

“No U.S. Troops in Africa.”

“Give ‘em some white / pussy—

That's all them Africans want, anyways…”

That's all—all

(But for Love)

And an ocean of us

Rising, reaching

Cause.—Cause? Yeah, Cause—'cause

I'm so busy

Pulling Charlie's foot outta / my / own / ass

And no job

And no land at / all

That's all.—All

I got—(But for Love.)

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