AND IT WASN'T 'TIL A LARGER READING THAT HAPPENED AT THE OPERA HOUSE UH, THAT INSPIRED THE POEM "AFFRILACHIA" THAT WE THOUGHT ABOUT NAMING OURSELVES AND, AND USING THAT WORD AS A, AS A RALLYING POINT I'M INVITED TO THE OPERA HOUSE WITH SEVERAL OTHER WELL ESTABLISHED KENTUCKY WRITERS UH, I'M, I'M, I'M BROUGHT IN I BASICALLY RETURNED TO CALIFORNIA AND I'M GOING TO RETURN TO KENTUCKY THE NEXT YEAR BUT THIS IS IN THE INTERIM SO THEY FLY ME IN FRANK WALKER IS IN THE AUDIENCE AT THIS READING FRANK AND I ARE VERY CLOSE FRIENDS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT WRITING AND POETRY A LOT AND YET, HE'S SITTING THERE WONDERING WHY DO THEY HAVE TO FLY HER IN?

HERE WE ARE, BLACK POETS, WRITING DOING WHAT WE'RE DOING WHY CAN'T WE BE A PART OF THIS MOMENT IN THIS, UH LITERARY... UH, EVENING?

WHY DO THEY HAVE TO IMPORT A BLACK POET?

WE GOT SOME BLACK POETS AROUND HERE THAT COULD, YOU KNOW DO THIS TOO IT WAS BILLED AS... AS THE BEST WRITING IN KENTUCKY CULLING THE APPALACHIAN WRITERS UH, I HAD A CHANCE THAT EVENING EVEN THOUGH THE, THE READING WAS POWERFUL IT WAS WONDERFUL, I REALLY ENJOYED IT BUT I HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK UP, IN MY DICTIONARY THE DEFINITION OF, OF "APPALACHIA" AND THAT PARTICULAR DEFINITION SAID "WHITE RESIDENTS OF THE MOUNTAINOUS REGIONS OF APPALACHIA" AND I KNEW IMMEDIATELY THAT IF THAT WAS THE CASE IF THAT WAS THE ACTUAL DEFINITION THEN I COULD NEVER BE APPALACHIAN THEREFORE I COULD NEVER BE AN APPALACHIAN WRITER THEREFORE I COULD NEVER BE PART OF THAT GREAT BODY OF LITERATURE IN KENTUCKY SINCE IT WAS ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY APPALACHIAN UH, SO I WROTE A POEM, TRYING TO EXPLAIN THAT TO MYSELF THAT WAS MY THERAPY AND THE POEM FOCUSED ON CONNECTING APPALACHIA AND THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY AND REALLY TALKING ABOUT WHAT WE HAD IN COMMON UH, AND AS THE POEM WROTE ITSELF AT THE VERY END I MEAN "AFFRILACHIA" JUST CAME OUT SOMETHING AMAZING HAPPENS WHEN YOU TAKE THE "P's" OUT OF APPALACHIA AND YOU INSERT THE "F's," I THINK (Bang!)

AFFRILACHIA THOROUGHBRED RACING AND HEE HAW ARE BURDENSOME IMAGES FOR KENTUCKY SONS VENTURING BEYOND THE MASON-DIXON ANYWHERE IN APPALACHIA IS ABOUT A FAR AS YOU COULD GET FROM OUR HOUSE IN THE PROJECTS YET A MUTUAL APPRECIATION FOR FRESH GREENS AND CORNBREAD AN ALMOST HEROIC NOTION OF FAMILY AND PORCHES (Laughing and talking) YET NEVER HAVING RIDDEN BAREBACK OR SIDESADDLE AND BEING INEXPERIENCED AT CUTTING HANGING OR CHEWING TOBACCO YET STILL FEELING COMPLETE AND PROUD TO SAY BLACK ENOUGH TO KNOW THAT BEING COLORED AND ALL IS GENERALLY LOST SOMEWHERE BETWEEN THE DUKES OF HAZZARD AND THE BEVERLY HILLBILLIES IMAGINE BEING IMAGINE BEING IMAGINE BEING AN AFFRILACHIAN POET I WAS RAISED BY CHITLIN' EATIN' VEGETARIAN COOKIN' CORNBREAD SO GOOD YOU WANT TO LAY DOWN AND DIE BACON GO ON BABY, GET YOURSELF A PLATE KIND OF WOMEN SOME THICK-HAIRED, ANGELA DAVIS AFRO-STYLIN' GIRL LAY BACK AND LET ME SCRATCH YOUR HEAD SORT OF WOMEN SOME BIG LEGGED, HIGH YELLOW, MOCHA BROWN, HIP-SHAKIN' MINI-SKIRT WEARIN' HIP HUGGERS HUGGING DARING DEBUTANTES, GROOVY, I KNOW I LOOK GOOD TYPE OF WOMEN SOME TEA SIPPIN' WHITE GLOVE WEARING GOT MARRIED TOO SOON DIVORCED IN JUST THE NICK OF TIME BETTER SAY "YES, MA'AM" TO ME TYPE OF SISTERS SOME FINGER POPPIN' BOO-GA-LOO DANCIN' SAY IT LOUD, I'M BLACK AND I'M PROUD, JAMES BROWN LISTENIN' GO ON GIRL, SHAKE THAT THING KIND OF SISTERS SOME FACE SLAPPIN' HANDS ON HIPS DON'T MESS WITH ME PACK YOUR BAGS AND GET THE HELL OUT OF MY HOUSE SORT OF WOMEN SOME Ph.D.

TOTIN' POETRY WRITING PORTRAIT PAINTING I'LL SEE YOU IN COURT WORLD TRAVELING, STAND BACK I'M CREATING TYPE OF QUEENS I WAS RAISED BY WOMEN ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ THERE IS SOMETHING SPECIAL IN THE WAY AFFRILACHIAN POETS NOT ONLY WRITE AND CREATE THEIR WORK BUT ALSO IN HOW THEY TAKE CARE OF EACH OTHER AND CHECK IN WITH EACH OTHER AND MANY OF US NOW HAVE GONE IN DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS AND WE'RE SORT OF SCATTERED BUT IF WE CAN FIND EACH OTHER, WE CAN PUT OUR EYE ON EACH OTHER IF WE CAN UH... IF THERE'S A WAY TO GET IN TOUCH UH, WE WILL BECAUSE WHAT WE HAVE FOUND HERE IS THAT COMMUNAL ASPECT OF WRITING NOT WRITING IN A CORNER BY YOURSELF AT A DESK WITH THE WORLD SHUT OUT BUT COLLECTIVELY YES, WE DO OUR WORK ALONE BUT WHEN WE COME TOGETHER IT REALLY IS ABOUT THE WHOLE PERSON BEING UH, TOUCHED AND LOOKED AT AND NURTURED STANDING, RAISING CRACKED VOICES UP TO ME 'CAUSE I DON'T LOOK LIKE YOUR MAMA SOMETIMES I THINK NIGGERS ON DRUGS JUST LIKE TO HEAR THEMSELVES TALK LIKE TO HEAR THE SOUND OF THEIR PROBLEMS ...FRENCH, BRUIN, COPPER COFFEE ...THIS FEELING ANYWHERE ELSE WHEN I READ I SUMMON TO THE PODIUM BROTHER X, FRANK X. I THINK, IN THESE MOMENTS IS BLISS YOU ARE INVITED TO A CIRCLE OF, OF FAMILY EVEN IF YOU'RE NOT QUITE FAMILY YET SO IT'S NOT LIKE THE STERILE ENVIRONMENT THAT YOU WOULD GET THAT I GOT FROM OTHER TYPES OF WRITING WORKSHOPS UH, SO, WHEN YOU READ A PIECE AND IT CONNECTS WITH SOMEONE NOT ONLY DO YOU GET A CRITIQUE OF THE LITERATURE THE LITERARY ELEMENTS OF YOUR WORK BUT YOU GET THESE STORIES THAT COME FLYING BACK YOU GET UH, I REMEMBER WHEN MY GRANDMAMA YOU KNOW, USED TO DO THAT OR THAT REMINDS ME OF UH, YOU KNOW, KELLY MIGHT SAY "THAT REMINDS ME OF UH, MY GRANDFATHER IN MISSISSIPPI" EXPLAINING HOW JUARLOS' MOTHER WAS ?

??

AND THAT BEAUTIFUL LONG HAIR COVERING HER BACK LIKE A QUEEN'S ROYAL GOWN I USED TO WASH IT AND COMB IT AND TWIST IT INTO THE CROWN SHE WORE WHILE WATCHING THE CREATOR'S WONDER RISE AND SET SHE TOLD ME ABOUT MY THREE TIMES GREAT-GRANDFATHER A HANDSOME PREACHERMAN UN ESPANOL ALTOL AS TALL AS THE HORSE HE RODE ON HIS WEDDING DAY WHO USED HIS DIVINE PRAYERS TO CATCH SNAKES I LEARNED THE STORY OF EL TUCO SNAKE A PREACHER, NOT A SOUTHERN GRITS, EGGS AND HAM PREACHER WHO HAS A CONGREGATION SWAYING LIKE JONAH IN THE SHIP BUT AN ISLAND VIANDA VERDURA PREACHER AND SPENDS THE AFTERNOON FANNING THE CONGREGATION THE STORY BEGAN WITH A YOUNG SNAKE CAUGHT IN BETWEEN MACHETE STRIKES AND A BURNING AFTERNOON AT THE CANE FIELDS AFTER THREE-HOUR PRAYER OF SALVATION MA GRIA TOLD ME, "WE DID NOT RAISE YOU THAT WAY LOVELESS, FAITHLESS, CULTURELESS" SHE SAID, "LOVE UP, PRAY UP, WAKE UP!

'CAUSE WE'LL ALWAYS RAISE YOU STRAIGHT AND NOW IS YOUR TURN TO KEEP THE WINDS WHISPERING OUR WAYS I FOUND THIS FAMILY RICARDO, FRANK, UH, NIKKY FINNEY WHO EMBRACED ME AND ASKED ME TO COME OUT AND READ MY WORK SO THAT WAS THE BEGINNING FOR ME BEING A PART OF THIS COMMUNITY UH, I DIDN'T KNOW AT THE TIME ABOUT FRANK AND RICARDO MEETING IN THE ELEVATORS AND THE ELEVATOR SEEMED LIKE THE RIGHT PLACE MAYBE 50 FEET FROM THE CULTURAL CENTER UH, CLOSE ENOUGH, CLOSE ENOUGH TO MAKE US FEEL SAFE AND BE ABLE TO, TO SHARE WHAT WE WANTED TO SHARE AND FEEL GOOD ABOUT IT AND THEN JUST COME OUT LIKE NOTHING HAPPENED WE WOULD ACTUALLY GO INTO THE ELEVATOR CLOSE IT AND THEN CUT THE POWER OFF AND HAVE THESE REAL QUIET POETRY SHARINGS IN, IN, IN PRIVATE, IN THE ELEVATOR AND UH, I GUESS AT THE TIME IT REALLY WASN'T A MACHO THING TO DO, TO WRITE POETRY THIS IS A POEM CALLED "JIBAROS" UH, ON EVERY CONTINENT, THERE'S A THERE'S UH, A PHRASE, A WORD THAT YOU CAN USE TO TO SAY THE EQUIVALENT OF, OF "MY NIGGER" OR UH, "MY BOY" UH, THIS IS "JIBAROS" UH, MY BROTHER RICARDO UH, WHO ALLOWED ME IN MY GROWING UP AND BECOMING AN ADULT THAT, THAT YOU CAN SAY OUT LOUD AND NOT FEEL THREATENED AS A MAN, TO SAY YOU KNOW, "I LOVE YOU" WE FAMILY, UH JIBAROS TU ERES MI HERMANO MI JIBAROS THE HYPOTENUSE OF THE GOLDEN TRIANGLE THAT GRAPHED ITSELF FROM SPANISH DOCKS TO AFRICAN SHORES TO THE AMERICAS VIA ANOTHER CRISTOBAL THEFT PUERTO RICO, THE RICH PORT TU ERES MI HERMANO, RICHIE MAMI FRANCISCA'S PASTELES Y COQUITO SIT FOREVER ON MY TONGUE APOLOGIZING FOR MY K-MART SPANISH I WILL BE BELLY WARM AND BACARDI FULL FOREVER LIKE ROMULUS AND REMUS SEPARATED AT BIRTH SPIRITED AWAY FROM MY REGAL DOMAIN RAISED BY LOS HEBOROS DE CANA EARTHPEOPLE TAINO Y CARIBE BLACKFOOT AND THE ASHANTI WORSHIPERS DEL SOL WE NOW RETURN TO CLAIM OUR DUAL HERITAGE DISGUISED AS INTERNATIONAL SCRIBES, PRIESTS AND THIEVES DROPPING CULTURE, LITTERING THE EARTH WITH CRESCENTS AND MURALS ADVENTURING INTO THE ATLANTIC OCEANS, CARIBBEAN SEAS APPALACHIAN MOUNTAINS KNOWING THE TOMBSTONES WILL SHOW US THE WAY HOME EL CAMINO AL HOGAR VIAJANDO A LAS SEPULTURAS DE LOS MAGNOS HOMBRES NEGROS BLACK ROCK GARDENS BRUSHING OFF SNOW, DRIPPING JUICE INHALING THE CEREMONIAL CIGAR BENDISEME AIRE QUE RESPIRAMOS BLESSING THE VERY AIR WE BREATHE TU ERES MI HERMANO, RICARDO ALMAS AZULES Y BLANCAS DE FAITH Y FRANCISA MAMA'S BOYS CRIADOS DE PECHO BREAST BABIES, UMBILICALLY LINKED FOREVER HOMOGENIZED PARA QUE TODO EL MUNDO SEPA TO SEE, TO KNOW SOMOS FAMILIA FRATER COLON OUR SEEDS WILL INHERIT THE EARTH (Audience cheering and applauding) I DON'T THINK I'D BE ABLE TO CALL MYSELF A WRITER IF I HADN'T MET NIKKY FINNEY AND FRANK WALKER UH, JUST FRANK'S UH, INSTINCTIVE KNOWLEDGE THAT I WAS A WRITER WAS SO IMPORTANT UH, THAT HE HAD NEVER READ ANYTHING I'D WRITTEN BUT SAID, "HEY, YOU, DO YOU WRITE?

I WANT YOU TO READ TONIGHT YOU KNOW THAT KIND OF THING UH, WAS REALLY IMPORTANT THEY ALWAYS TELL YOU TO WRITE WHAT YOU KNOW AND THEN IT FELT LIKE THAT SINCE I WAS BLACK AND I WAS WRITING WHAT I KNOW THAT THAT WASN'T WHAT I WAS SUPPOSED TO KNOW THAT IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE ANOTHER EXPERIENCE THAT WOULD BE ATTACHED TO, TO MY BLACKNESS AND I THINK THAT UH, THAT WAS A COMMON EXPERIENCE OF ALL OF US OF BEING AFFRILACHIAN THERE WAS AN ATTENTION TO UH, CRAFT THAT I HAD NEVER EXPERIENCED BEFORE ATTENTION TO UH, MY EXPERIENCE AND WRITING THAT DOWN AND THAT THAT WAS IMPORTANT UH, AND THE LANGUAGE I USE WAS ACCEPTED, SO UH, NIKKY FINNEY AS A TEACHER AND MODEL, OF COURSE AND FRANK ALSO AS SOMEBODY WHO WAS GRASSROOTS AND SAID "WE NEED TO GET OUR WORDS OUT THERE" I MEAN IT WAS IMMEDIATE WITH HIM LET'S DO THIS, WE HAVE TO DO THIS UH, TO THE POINT OF IT WAS ALMOST FRIGHTENING FOR ME IT WAS SCARY I LIKE CARVED OUT PATHS NICELY MOWED RUNWAYS PUSSY WILLOWS BOWING IN MY SWAY AND I DON'T MIND SAUNTERING LAST THE WAY PREPARED AND I THINK HARRIET UNDERSTANDS SHE AND SOJOURNER SHAKING HEADS OF WILDFLOWERS AT ME CATCALLING, GO ON, GIRL AS I STEP ONTO WELL-WORN FOOTPRINTS IT'S THEIR HANDS THAT PRESS FORWARD MY BACK ROOTED ROOTING AND DIDN'T I KNOCK OVER TREES FOR YOU, GIRL?

IDA B. HUFFS AT MY SPINE AS THEY TOGETHER SHAPED SMOOTH BRANCHES WORRY WHIPPED INTO IT I HANG ONTO THEM SANDING MY SKULL WITH THE ROUGHNESS OF THEIR PALMS NEEDING TO SET MY MIND BEFORE THE WORLD HARDENS IT THIS IS NO PAMPERING, AS I TEETER IN THE ARCHWAY PEEK OUT AT MILES OF THE UNTAMED CROWD WHERE I MUST ADD MY OWN STEP IN THE THICKETS NO THIS LAYING ON OF HANDS, WILLS INSTRUCTIONS MARY BATHOON???

SOLIDLY LIFTING MY CHIN DIDN'T YOU READ MINE?

SHE STRAIGHTENS MY SHOULDERS SOBERLY FANNIE LOU WORKS HER BATTERED LIMBS USES THEM AS MY DIVINING ROD THIS AIN'T NO CIVIL RIGHT THESE WOMEN WERE ANGRY AT MY 1968 SETTLED SOFTNESS SINCE THEY OVERCAME AND I ARRIVED NOW AT MIDPOINT IN MY LIFE I SWITCH SEDUCTIVELY THERE CHOSEN BY THESE SISTERS TO MODEL MY OWN STUFF MISS DAISY THRUSTING ME HER TICKET BAITING ME SHARPLY WE BOUGHT YOU THAT TICKET, GIRL AND THEY PUSHED ONE OF THE THINGS I'VE ENCOUNTERED TRAVELING OUTSIDE OF KENTUCKY IS HAVING TO DEFEND THE FACT THAT PEOPLE OF COLOR ACTUALLY LIVE HERE AND, AND A LOT OF THE WORK SPEAKS TO THAT SPECIFICALLY, YOU KNOW AND I'M TRYING TO SAY UH, THAT NOT ONLY ARE WE HERE UH, WE'RE HERE IN A VERY LARGE WAY WE'RE PART OF KENTUCKY'S HISTORY AND WE'RE PART OF THE LANDSCAPE UH, AND YOU KNOW, WE'RE PART OF THE, THE... I GUESS THE LORE OF KENTUCKY THAT INCLUDES BASKETBALL AND, AND HORSES AND, AND BOURBON UH, THE... ALL THOSE THINGS THAT ARE KENTUCKY ARE ALSO US AND I, AND I DON'T FEEL THE NEED TO SEPARATE THEM I'M TRYING TO FIND WAYS TO BUILD THOSE CONNECTIONS TO LET PEOPLE KNOW UH, AS PART OF MY RESPONSIBILITY I THINK AS AN ARTIST, AS A KENTUCKY ARTIST TO TO SAY THAT OUT LOUD TO, TO DEFEND MY PLACE HERE AND MY WRITING WHO'S PLACED HERE AND MY FAMILY WHO'S PLACED HERE AND OUR COMMUNITY AND HOW IT FITS INTO THE ENTIRE UH NOTION OF WHAT KENTUCKY IS I THINK THAT, THAT'S REAL IMPORTANT TO ME A BROWN-SKIN, PIGTAILED GIRL SITS UNDER THE SHADE OF A GRANDFATHER TREE A LAP FULL OF PECANS AND A STARE SO DEEP IT TRAVELS BENEATH THE TENNESSEE HILLS OF THE MISSISSIPPI'S GEESE BURROWING LIKE A NAPPY-HEADED DREAD ROOT EVERY SO OFTEN TAKING A PEEK AT THE APPALACHIAS IT TRAVELS THROUGH LEAVING A PECAN FOR THE NEXT TRIP A BOY RAVING, LANGUAGE UNKNOWN TRAVELS UP IN BEARS MOUNTAIN SEARCHING FOR A SONG CULLING UP PECANS ANGLE IN THE LIGHT SITTING ON A BRANCH WISHING HE COULD FLY GAZING ENDLESSLY INTO THE BLUE PANTOMIME, HE LEAPS YONDER CERTAIN IN HIS MIND A SMOKING CURTAINS OF MOUNTAINS HE GIVES RISE TO ADIRONDACK STREAMS OF MUSIC GAMBLING DURING FLIGHT HELLO, SONS AND DAUGHTERS WITH THE RED BLACK FACES ALL CLAY FACES GIVE VOICE TO THE RAVEN SITTING UNDER THE SHADE OF A GRANDFATHER TREE I DON'T CARE WHO'S IN CHARGE I'M AN AFFRILACHIA I WAS THERE FROM THE BEGINNING UH, I THINK, BEING IN AFFRILACHIA WAS JUST MORE MORE THAN THE WORD MORE THAN BEING IN AFFRILACH- YOU KNOW, BE- THE PRESENCE OF AFRICAN-AMERICANS IN APPLALACH I THINK IT, IT WAS A MOVEMENT OF, OF OF CULTURAL AWARENESS AND WITHIN THAT WAS "HEY, WHEN YOU SPEAK ABOUT APPALACHIA YOU KNOW, CONSIDER IT'S MAKE UP UH, TAKE, TAKE A MOMENT BEFORE YOU ASSUME BEFORE YOU LET THOSE IMAGES GO INTO YOUR HEAD UH, TAKE A MOMENT AND THINK ABOUT IT YOU KNOW, WHO LIVES THERE?

WHO ARE THE PEOPLE?

WHAT IS APPALACHIA?

THE IDEA TO CALL SOMEONE AN AFFRILACHIAN INSTEAD OF AN "APPALACHIAN" RIGHT, IS THE FIRST SORT OF STEP INTO, UH THE REALM OF THE AFFRILACHIAN POET AND IT'S A POLITICAL STEP AND THAT FIRST STEP INFORMS EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS AFTER IT SO THAT ALL OF US WRITE VERY PERSONAL THINGS ALL OF US WRITE THINGS ABOUT FAMILY ABOUT EATING, ABOUT SEX, ABOUT LOVE, ABOUT DYING AND NONE OF THAT IS EVER VERY FAR AWAY FROM THE POLITICAL CIRCUMSTANCES UNDER WHICH ALL OF THOSE HUMAN EXPERIENCES TAKE PLACE IF YOU'RE TOLD THAT YOU DON'T EXIST AS FOR MANY TIMES, MANY YEARS BLACK PEOPLE WERE TOLD THEY DIDN'T EXIST IN APPALACHIA TO WRITE A POEM ABOUT THE LAND IS A POLITICAL POEM YOU ARE THE WARM BURNT SIENNA OF MY GRANDFATHER'S SKIN SOFT LIKE RIPE LEATHER I CAN NOT SEE YOU ANY OTHER WAY BUT AS A FARMER'S FINEST CROP YOU ARE A KENTUCKY TILLER'S LIVELIHOOD YOU WERE SCHOOL CLOTHES IN AUGUST THE TURKEY AT THANKSGIVING CHRISTMAS WITH ALL THE TRIMMINGS I CLOSE MY EYES, SEE YOU TALL, STATELY GREEN LINED UP IN ROWS SEE SWEAT SEEPING THROUGH GRANDDADDY'S SHIRT AS HE FATHERED YOU FIRST YOU WERE PROTECTED BY HIM SOMETIMES EVEN MORE THAN ANY OTHER THING THAT ROOTED IN OUR EARTH JUST LIKE FAMILY, YOU WERE CODDLED, CUDDLED COAXED INTO MAKING HIM PROUD SPREAD OUT FOR MILES, YOU WERE THE ONLY PRETTY THING HE KNEW WHEN I THINK OF YOU AT THE EDGE OF WINTER I SEE YOU BROWN, WRINKLED, JUST LIKE GRANDDADDY'S SKIN A TEN-YEAR-OLD ME PLAYS IN THE SHADOWS OF THE STRIPPING ROOM THE WOODSTOVE BURNS CALLUSED HANDS TWIST THROUGH THE LENGTH OF YOUR LEAVES GRANDDADDY SMILES NODS AT ME WHEN HE THINKS I'M NOT LOOKING YOU ARE PRETTY AND BRAIDED, LINED UP IN ROWS LIKE A ROOMFUL OF BROWN GIRLS WITH SKIRTS HOOPED OUT FOR DANCING (Music playing) IT WAS TOLD BETWEEN GURNEY NORMAN AND FRANK WALKER OF, HOW PERHAPS, UH THOUSANDS OF YEARS AGO THE CONTINENTS WERE LAID A BIT DIFFERENT AND UH DURING THE RUMBLINGS OF TIME AND AS, AS CONTINENTS, UH WELL, WHEN THEY WERE, WHEN THEY WERE TOGETHER IN THAT IN THAT FIRST WAY THAT THE REGION TYPICALLY THOUGHT OF AS APPALACHIA UH, WAS VERY CLOSE TO TOUCHING ON, UH THE WATERS AND THE COAST OF AFRICA AND THE WAY IT WAS DESCRIBED WAS REALLY AMAZING AND YET, IN THE SHIFT OF TIME AND AS THINGS SHIFTED AND AND TOOK THIS PRESENT DAY SHAPE THE CONTINENTS WERE SPLIT AND UH, UH, AFRICA BECAME WHERE IT IS AND APPALACHIA WAS... IS WHERE IT IS BUT I THINK UH, I THINK THAT, THAT COULD... THERE'S SOMETHING IN ME THAT BELIEVES THAT THAT COULD HAVE EXISTED YOU KNOW THAT, THAT OLD MAP COULD HAVE BEEN UH, WHAT WAS AND, AND IN THE SPIRIT OF THAT UH, I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE'S ANY LINE ONE CAN DRAW TO SAY APPALACHIA IS HERE UH, AFFRILACHIA IS HERE AND NOT ANOTHER PLACE SO BEING IN AFFRILACHIA FOR ME IS A WAY OF THINKING ABOUT BEING IN THE AFRICAN DIASPORA BUT IN A MORE CONSTRAINED WAY AND A NARROWER WAY UH, IT'S A WAY OF THINKING ABOUT BEING A MIGRATORY PERSON BUT MIGRATING WITHIN CERTAIN BOUNDARIES THE SAME SLAVE SHIPS THAT CAME TO UNITED STATES HAD MADE A STOP IN THE CARIBBEAN AND THINKING, WOW, WE COULD BE RELATED!

BECAUSE PROBABLY SOMEONE'S FATHER WAS DROPPED IN THE CARIBBEAN AND SOMEONE'S MOTHER WAS DROPPED IN... SOUTH CAROLINA OR GEORGIA EVEN IN OUR DIFFERENT VOICES UH, SOME OF US VERY RURAL SOME OF US VERY URBAN SOME OF US, YOU KNOW, ROMANTIC POST MODERN, ALL THESE DIFFERENT UH, PLACES UH, WE STILL CLAIM THAT PHYSICAL SPACE AND YES, THAT IS, THAT IS VERY UNIQUE AND I THINK, UH BECAUSE THE SOUTH HAS SO MANY CONNECTIONS TO AFRICAN CULTURE THAT'S APPROPRIATE I MEAN SURVIVALS, YOU KNOW, APLENTY YOU KNOW, IN THE SOUTH AND SO IT MAKES SENSE TO ME TO IDENTIFY AFFRILACHIA UH, UH, BECAUSE IT IS SOUTHERN AND IT IS BLACK EVEN THOUGH IT IS ONLY MARCH, TODAY IS WARM LIKE MAY SO THE MEN HAVE DECIDED TO WALK HOME FROM THE MAKE-A-WAY OUT OF THE NO-WAY JOBS THEY DO THEIR BLUE WORK SHIRTS WITH WHITE NAME PATCHES OVER THE BREAST ARE OPEN SWEAT DRIED TO THEIR CHESTS LIKE TEARS THEY SAUNTER TOWARD THE SIMMER OF LIVER, ONIONS, RICE 'CAUSE WORK IS OVER AND IT IS WARM LIKE SUNDAY SUPPERTIME IT IS A WARM MARCH TODAY AND THE CHILDREN RUN HOME FROM JOHNSON ELEMENTARY WINTER COATS BRACED ABOUT THEIR HIPS THEY SHOUT EACH OTHER NAMES TREY AND NAY-NAY LIKE SOME LONG SATISFIED SONG THEIR LAST DANCE WITH THE SCENT OF FRIED FISH FROM THE CAFE DOWN THE STREET THEY PRETEND IT'S SUMMER AND TAKE OUT THEIR BIKES AND PEDAL LIKE WIND 'CAUSE SCHOOL IS OUT AND IT IS WARM LIKE HONEYBUNS IN THE SUN AND THE WHISPERING MEXICAN MEN TURN THEIR CAP BRIMS WEST WHILE THEY MOVE EAST DOWN THE ROCK OF CONCRETE THEY KEEP THEIR COWBOY BOOTS ON BUT LOSE THEIR JACKETS 'CAUSE IT IS WARM LIKE MORNING CHEESE TOAST TODAY AND THE GUY UP THE STREET THE ONE WITH THE BLOND STREAKED WIG PUTS ON HOT PANTS, SHOWS THE TINA TURNERNESS OF HIS LEGS CATWALKS TO THE CORNER FOR A DIET COKE AND SALEMS AND NOBODY CALLS HIM A PUNK 'CAUSE IT IS WARM LIKE CINNAMON FRIED APPLES TODAY AND I AM ON MY FRONT PORCH PLAYING HAROLD MELVIN AND THE BLUE NOTES TEDDY PENDERGRASS THAWING MY INSIDES OUT WAKE UP EVERYBODY NO MORE SLEEPING IN BED NO MORE BACKWARDS THINKING TIME FOR THINKING AHEAD WE ALL TRYING TO DEFROST AND SAVOR THE HEAT 'CAUSE IT IS ONLY MARCH BUT WARM LIKE MY MAMA'S LAP TODAY THE WRITERS, I THINK, IN A GENERAL SENSE THEIR VERY REVERENCE FOR THE LAND THEIR REVERENT FOR THEIR ANCESTRAL... THEY CALL IT IN BRAZIL, "ANCESTRAL ADAGI" THEIR, THEIR ANCESTRALNESS THE FACT THAT THEY TALK ABOUT FAMILY AND LINEAGE AND LINE AND GROUNDING IS A VERY AFRICAN WAY OF REVERENCING THE ANCESTORS A VERY AFRICAN WAY OF VALIDATING WHERE YOU CAME FROM AS A TRADITION AS, AS A LINEAGE OF HUMAN BEINGS WHO HAVE SPECIFIC MOTHER AND FATHER MOTHER AND FATHER, MOTHER AND FATHER THERE'S A POEM CALLED "CLIFTON I" IN MY COLLECTION THAT TALKS SPECIFICALLY ABOUT WHERE MY GRANDPARENTS GREW UP AND, AND MY FATHER SPENT TIME AND UH THAT WHOLE POEM DEALS WITH WALKING AROUND THAT LAND THAT PARTICULAR PLACE AND TALKING ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO US AS A FAMILY AND AND HOW BEAUTIFUL IT IS VISUALLY AND I THINK THAT'S UH YOU KNOW, THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE TAKEN LIGHTLY THAT YOU CAN'T REALLY SEPARATE THAT FROM THE HISTORY OF KENTUCKY HE TOOK ME TO HIS FAVORITE SPOT TO WHERE HE PLAYED AS A BOY WHERE CLARK'S RUN EMPTIES INTO HERRINGTON LAKE IN A CEREMONIOUS SUCCESSION OF SLATE AND LIMESTONE STEPS THAT BOTH WALKED AND CRAWLED THE DESCENDING ONE HUNDRED YARDS FREE FALLING LIKE A CARIBBEAN MOUNTAIN WATERFALL TEN FEET AT A TIME BEFORE SPLASHES SOFTENED INTO RIPPLES THEN DROWNED WE WALKED THE LAND THEN STOOD THERE IN THE MUD CROWDING THE ROAD AGAIN FAMILY HISTORY CLINGING TO OUR SOULS HIS STORIES FLOATING IN THE AIR LIKE VAPOR PHOTOGRAPHS WE STOOD AT THE EDGE OF THE ROAD IN CLIFTON LOOKING OUT AT THE WIDE WET MIRROR THAT DIVIDED ONE COUNTRY FROM THE NEXT ABSENCE FROM FORGIVENESS THEN SPOKE AND LAUGHED IN UNISON LIKE TWINS LIKE A SMALL CHOIR SINGING PSALMS THE PLACES THAT I WENT FOR CLARITY SEEKING... SEEKING UNDERSTANDING WERE VERY IMPORTANT TO MY UNDERSTANDING AND MY DEVELOPMENT AS A POET MY GRANDPARENTS... TWO PLACES IN PARTICULAR MY GRANDPARENTS OWNED A HUNDRED ACRES OF LAND AT THE TOP OF THE STATE IN SOUTH CAROLINA ON THAT LAND AS I WALKED, AS A GIRL I HEARD THE VOICES I FELT DIDN'T KNOW IT THEN OF MY ANCESTORS I FELT THAT THIS WAS A SACRED PLACE I FEEL THAT THAT PLACE IS A VERY SACRED PLACE MY GRANDFATHER WAS UH, VERY MUCH A MAN OF THE EARTH AND UH, DID A LOT OF, OF RITUALS UH, HE DID EVERYTHING BY UH, BY NATURE AND BY THE SIGNS OF THE MOON AND UH YOU KNOW, HE SAW SPIRITS AND THERE WAS A LOT OF THINGS THAT UH, EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE VERY UH... RELIGIOUS AND VERY UH, BAPTIST AND UH, ALL OF THOSE SORTS OF THINGS BUT THERE WERE A LOT OF THINGS THAT I KNOW NOW THAT PROBABLY HAD BEEN PASSED DOWN FROM GENERATIONS TO HIM THAT... OR TO BOTH OF THEM, TO BOTH MY GRANDPARENTS THAT THEY, THEY DID AND UH, DIDN'T, DIDN'T CONNECT BACK OR MAYBE THEY DIDN'T EVEN WANT TO CONNECT BACK BUT ARE THINGS THAT I CAN LOOK NOW IN MY MY CULTURE AS BEING UH, AN AFRICAN WOMAN IN AMERICA THAT THAT VERY MUCH RELATES TO UH, GROWING UP ON A FARM IN INDIAN CREEK, KENTUCKY I BELIEVE IN SPIRITS AND I BELIEVE IN THE POWER OF SPIRITS AND I BELIEVE IN THE POWER OF MY ANCESTRAL SPIRITS AND SO WHEN I WALK IN THE FOREST IT'S JUST LIKE WHEN I GO TO THE OCEAN IT'S NOT... I'M NOT... IT'S NOT A CASUAL THING TO GO INTO THE FOREST AND SAY THAT THE FOREST TALKS TO YOU AND THAT THE ANCESTORS TALK TO YOU IN THE FOREST THAT'S DIRECT CONGO PHILOSOPHY ABOUT SIMBI AND THE TWICE BORN ANCESTORS WHO RESIDE IN THE TREES AND THE ROCKS AND THE RIVER AND THEY ARE THERE TO GIVE US MESSAGES BUT THE VERY FACT THAT SHE'LL GO THERE AND DO THAT WORK IS GROUNDING HERSELF IN THE INTELLIGENCE OF THE LANDSCAPE THE LANDSCAPE HAS AN INTELLIGENCE AND IT'LL SHARE IT WITH US IF WE MAKE THAT CONTRACT IF WE MAKE THAT COMMITMENT AND YOU SEE THAT COMING OUT ALSO AS AN ASPECT OF THE WORK OF THE POETS THAT THEY HAVE MAD A CONTRACT WITH THE LANDSCAPE AND THE LANDSCAPE TALKS TO THEM AND THEY GET THINGS THAT THEY WOULD NEVER HAVE BEFORE IF THEY HAD JUST DECIDED TO BE ACADEMICS CHURCH MOTHER YOU'RE A BAHAI PRIESTESS ...TO THE ZULU PENTECOSTAL SCRIPTURE-QUOTING HOLY WATER SPRINKLIN' TALKIN' IN TONGUES WEARING WHITE YOU STUDY NURSING TO LEARN TO DISGUISE YOUR OLD ANCIENT WAYS YOUR KNOWING HANDS HAVE PREPARED BIRTH CANALS TIED UMBILICAL CORDS AND CLOSED EYELIDS YOU SEE THE STORM BEFORE THE CRICKETS YOUR SKIN CRAWLS WHEN EVIL LURKS YOU CLOSED YOUR FERTILE GATES LONG AGO TO KEEP A MORE VIGILANT WATCH OVER THEM THAT CAME OVER THEM THAT WAS SENT TO YOUR SHADE TREE YOUR FRONT PORCH YOUR HOLY PLACE (Group singing) I HAVE BEEN ANOINTED I HAVE BEEN ANOINTED I HAVE BEEN ANOINTED BY THE CREATOR I HAVE BEEN BAPTIZED IT WAS A COOL SPRING DAY WHEN I GOT MY FIRST RAIN MY BAPTISM FROM THE CREATOR IT WAS A LITTLE MIST OF RAIN, BUT IT WAS ENOUGH TO BAPTIZE ME THE DROPS SLIPPED DOWN MY WAVY, CURLY, NAPPY, KINKY STRONG LOCKS UNTIL IT TOUCHED MY SCALP AND COOLED IT AND I WAS NOT AFRAID I WAS NOT AFRAID I WAS NOT AFRAID OF THE RAIN TIGHTENING THE CURLS ON MY SCALP BUT I WELCOME THE BAPTISM OF MY CROWN IT WAS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL EXPERIENCE MY BAPTISM I DIDN'T RUN NO MORE, I DIDN'T HIDE NO MORE I DIDN'T HIDE UNDER A TREE BUT I WELCOMED THE ROLLING OF MY BEADS I WAS TOUCHED I WAS TOUCHED I WAS TOUCHED BY A SPRINKLE OF WATER AND I WAS BAPTIZED BY THE CREATOR AND AT THAT MOMENT I FELT LIKE THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BLACK WOMAN AND I SHOUTED I GAVE PRAISES TO THE CREATOR FOR MY FIRST RAIN MY BAPTISM OF MY NATURAL HAIR I'M TRYING TO RECONCILE UH, THINGS LIKE UH, MY POLITICS MY POLITICAL ISSUES AND HAVE THIS SAME SENSE OF LOVINGNESS ABOUT PLACE UH, AND SOMETIMES IT'S DIFFICULT BECAUSE YOU'RE DEALING WITH... IN TERMS OF MY POLITICS SOMETIMES I'M DEALING WITH THINGS THAT ARE BRUTAL UH, HARD, PAINFUL AND TO TRY TO USE THE KIND OF LANGUAGE THAT I USE TO TALK ABOUT MY GRANDFATHER, MY GRANDMOTHER YOU KNOW, KICK THE SPACE OF THE KITCHEN AND WHAT MY GRANDMOTHER DOES SOMETIMES DOESN'T WORK UH, AND SO I FIND I'M SEARCHING FOR NEW WAYS TO DO THAT SO A LOT OF MY WORK ABOUT CHICAGO SEEMS TO BE MORE OVERTLY POLITICAL UH, BECAUSE I RECOGNIZE AGAIN THOSE BOUNDARIES THERE'S SOME REAL ISSUES OF JUSTICE AND ECONOMICS THAT COME WITH THOSE BOUNDARIES THERE IN CHICAGO SO I THINK MY WORK IN SOME WAYS IS BECOMING A LITTLE MORE URBAN BECAUSE I'M IN THAT URBAN SPACE, YOU KNOW THE MURDERS OF THESE YOUNG WOMEN WOULDN'T LEAVE ME ALONG ALONE, SO... I WROTE THIS POEM IT'S CALLED "SALT LICK" ENGLEWOOD GIRLS VAPORIZE LEAVE THEIR SALT STINGING IN THE AIR CLINGING TO ARMPITS THEY BECOME TRIFLES THE WET THAT ROLLS DOWN BACK CREASES THE SLICK SPOT ON BANANA SEAT BIKES THEY STICK TO GERMY HANDS AND WILL NOT BE WASHED THAT'S A BLUES FOR CHICAGO AND I CAN'T BE SATISFIED BROTHERS IN THE STREET PLAYING COWBOYS AGAIN PRAYING A STRAY DON'T CATCH MY FIRSTBORN BROTHERS PULLING DRIVE-BYS BEFORE THE ROOSTER CROWS AND DON'T YOU KNOW THE CHICKENS ARE COMING HOME COULD HAVE SWORN THE SHOTS CAME FROM CECIL WAY I SKIP THAT BLOCK SOMETIMES TAKE THE LONG WAY HOME NOT BEING A PUNK JUST MAKING SURE DADDY HANGS AROUND FOR HIS SON I HEARD WHAT WENT DOWN THE OTHER DAY CIRCLE OF BLUE ON A BLOCK OF RED COAT CRUMPLED ON THE CONCRETE SOAKED WITH HIS INSIDES I AIN'T BEEN THROUGH SINCE A NIGHT THAT IS 'CAUSE I KNEW WHAT WAS COMIN' NEXT I AIN'T WISHIN' DEATH ON THEY DOOR BUT WHEN YOU KNOW... YOU KNOW MUST HAVE BEEN THE SHOTS I HEARD SEE, I'M LIVIN' IN THE WEST END BUT I'M STAYIN' IN THE WEST END IT'S HELL ON EARTH I JUST HAPPENED TO BE FROM HELL'S WEST SIDE YEAH, THEY GOT GAME FOR YOUR ASS ENOUGH TO MAKE YOU THINK TWICE ABOUT HOW COOL YOU THOUGHT YOU WAS FOOL TRIED TO STEAL MY FRONT DOOR HAD TO HANG HIM BY A THREAD I LET IT GO LIKE I'M GONNA ARGUE WITH FIVE-O IN MY OWN CRIB NOW ONE TIME KNOW WHERE I LIVE AND HE'S THINKIN' "NIGGER, WHY'D YOU WASTE MY TIME?"

YEAH, I KNOW I THOUGHT ABOUT PACKIN' HEAT BLAZIN' THEM 'FORE THEY BLAZE ME AND FIND DADDY'S GUN AIN'T GONNA BE NO COWBOYS IN THIS HOUSE YOU AIN'T HEARD?

THE CHICKENS ARE COMING HOME WHENEVER PART OF THE SOCIETY IS DOING SO WELL THERE'S ANOTHER SEGMENT THAT'S DOING HORRIBLE AND THE CAMERAS DON'T GO THERE ENOUGH, YOU KNOW AND SO THE POETS COME ALONG AND THEY KEEP THE STORIES OF WHAT'S HAPPENING YOU KNOW, IN REAL LIFE AND REAL TIME ON THE SURFACE THE EXECUTION WILL NOT BE TELEVISED YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO STAY HOME YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO TUNE IN AND VEG OUT YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO SLIP OUT AND RAID YOUR GE REFRIGERATOR DURING COMMERCIALS BECAUSE THE EXECUTION DOES NOT BRING GOOD THINGS TO LIFE AND THE EXECUTION WILL NOT BE TELEVISED THE EXECUTION WILL NOT BE BROUGHT TO YOU BY IBM'S SOLUTIONS FOR A SMALL PLANET THE EXECUTION WILL NOT BE SEEN ON NBC NOW MORE THAN EVER THE EXECUTION WILL NOT EXHORT YOU TO JUST DO IT TO DO THE DEW OR TO BE LIKE MIKE BECAUSE THE EXECUTION WILL NOT BE TELEVISED THE EXECUTION IS NOTHING, OBEY YOUR THIRST THE EXECUTION DOES NOT TASTE GREAT THOUGH IT IS LESS FILLING THE EXECUTION IS NOT FANTASTIC PERRY MASON WILL NOT SAVE THE DAY WITH A LAST ACT PLOT TWIST JOHN WILLIAMS WILL NOT COMPOSE A TUMID SOUNDTRACK THE POWER RANGERS WILL NOT SOMERSAULT TO THE RESCUE ON CRAYON COLORED ARCS OF LIGHT KOOL-AID WILL NOT HEAR THE CALL AND RIDE HIS STUBBY LEGS THROUGH THE PRISON WALL AND STAND AMIDST THE RUBBLE WITH A GLEEFUL EBONY SMILE STRETCHED ACROSS HIS SUGAR-FILLED CRIMSON BELLY NONE OF THAT CAN HAPPEN BECAUSE THE EXECUTION WILL NOT BE TELEVISED YOU CAN'T INGEST THE VIDEO IN THE PRIVACY OF YOUR HOME YOU CAN'T WRITE OR CALL FOR A TRANSCRIPT BUT IF YOU KEEP ON WATCHING AND WAITING IT'LL SURE ENOUGH BE IN THE PAPER AND I STILL RIDES TARC, BLAHZAY, BLAHZAY I STILL RIDES TARC BUSES WITH THEIR PISSY SMELLING SEATS GUM STUCK TO FEETS ODOR OF BUTT AND MALT LIQUOR FLUORESCENT LIGHT FLICKERS BACKREST FULL OF SHOPPING BAGS SEATS FULL OF GRAFFITI TAGS REDUNDANT RINGING OF STOP BELLS OLD VETS SPITTING TALL TALES SLIMS IN BUTTERFLY WAY COLLARS DUDES PEEPING GIRLS ITCHING TO HOLLER GREASE SPOTS ON WINDOWS THE SEAT FROM HAIR FROM BUMS WHO STRETCH OUT ASLEEP AND JUST DON'T CARE BEBE KIDS SCREAMS OLD LADIES WITH THE EVIL EYE BEAMS HEADPHONES BLASTING GALORE OLD TRANSFERS LITTERING THE FLOOR ABUNDANCE OF THE BLACK RACE BUS DRIVERS CLUTCHING CANS OF MACE WHILE THEY BE SHIPPING GOODS FROM THE HOODS TO THE MALLS, THE CONCRETE SHIP DOESN'T STALL IT RUSHES US TO WORK ON THE TRIP OUT OUR BODIES BEING ROUT, ECONOMICALLY PACKED FROM THE FRONT TO THE BACK PLUS IT COSTS US ONE NICKEL AND EIGHT DIMES TO BE CONFINED IN THE BELLY OF THE STEEL BEAST WHEN THEY DO RELEASE US, THEY BE AT LEAST A MINIMUM OF TEN OR EVEN A HOUR LATE AND THEY TRY TO DEMONSTRATE AN ATTITUDE THAT'S WHEN I GET RUDE BECAUSE ON THE WAY BACK TO OUR SHANTYTOWNSHIP THE BUS BE EQUIPPED WITH WORN, VINYL BALD TIRES AND DRIVERS WHO IN TWO DAYS WILL RETIRE SO I GET HOME AT MIDNIGHT WITH MY WORK JOURNEY'S HOURS EQUALING TEN AND THE NEXT DAY, GUESS WHAT?

I GOT TO DO IT ALL AGAIN JUST THE BLAHZAY, BLAHZAY ON THE TARC EVERY DAY I STILL RIDE THAT MUG, IT'S MY ONLY WAY WHO GETS TO SAY WHO IS GOING TO PRODUCE ART IN THIS COUNTRY WHO GETS TO SAY YOU'RE A POET AND YOU'RE NOT A POET WHO GETS TO SAY THIS IS CLASSICAL ART AND THIS IS NOT CLASSICAL ART WHO GETS TO SAY THIS IS TRUTH AND THIS IS FICTION AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION IT, IT IS ALWAYS THE FOLKS WHO ARE IN POWER FELT LIKE I WAS OPERATING FROM THE OUTSIDE NO MATTER WHERE I WAS IN THE WORLD THAT IT WAS ALWAYS FROM AN OUTSIDE POSITION UH, THAT AGAIN WHEN I WAS HOME IN CASEY COUNTY THAT I WAS BLACK AND OPERATING ON THE OUTSIDE THAT MY FAMILY WAS THE ONLY BLACK FAMILY THERE SO WE WERE OPERATING ON THE OUTSIDE UH, AND THEN WHEN I WENT TO EASTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY I WAS OPERATING ON THE OUTSIDE AS THE COUNTRY BLACK PERSON I WAS BLACK, SO I COULD FIT IN WITH THAT GROUP BUT I WAS STILL OPERATING ON THE OUTSIDE AND THEN WITH MY WRITING I FELT THE SAME WAY THAT UH, I ALWAYS FELT LIKE THAT IF I WAS GOING TO BE WRITING ABOUT MY RURALNESS THAT I HAD TO APPROACH THAT WITH A CERTAIN GROUP OR IF I WAS GOING TO BE WRITING ABOUT MY BLACKNESS THAT THAT WAS SOMETHING DIFFERENT AND WITH THE AFFRILACHIAN POETS, UH IT VALIDATED MY WHOLE SELF UH, AND VALIDATED MY WHOLE BODY OF WRITING THAT I COULD PRESENT THAT UH, NOT ONLY TO THEM, TO THAT GROUP TO THAT WARM CIRCLE, BUT UH THAT INDIVIDUALLY AND COLLECTIVELY THAT WE HAD UH, A MESSAGE THAT COULD BE UNDERSTOOD AND HEARD BY THE OUTSIDE WORLD "DEAR JOHNNY P."

YES, I REMEMBER YOU YOU USED TO CALL ME "AUNT JEMIMA" GRABBED AT MY BREAST ASKED ME FOR SOME OF THAT "CHOCOLATE" COW'S MILD HATE IN YOUR FACE, DISGUST IN YOUR EYES YOU CALLED MY FRIENDS "NIGGER LOVERS" YES, I STILL REMEMBER YOU WARNED THEM THAT MY BLACKNESS WOULD RUB OFF THAT YOU'D RATHER STAND 'CAUSE YOU WASN'T SITTING BY NO DARKIE SO LONG AGO AND YES, JOHNNY P. I REMEMBER LIKE IT WAS YESTERDAY TRYING TO SHOW MY BLACK POWER ALONE IN A SEA OF WHITE FACES YOU LAUGHED AT MY 'FRO I RAN TO THE BATHROOM CRYING LIKE A BABY SOMEWHERE FINDING THE ANGELA DAVIS STRENGTH TO STILL BE PROUD AND I REMEMBER CHASING YOU THROUGH THE HALLS OF THE SCHOOL RUNNING AS FAST AS I COULD VOWING THE KNOCK THE HELL OUT OF YOU JUST ONCE FOR CALLING ME A NIGGER AGAIN NIGGER AND DARKIE AND JIGABOO AND AUNT JEMIMA BLACK CHOCOLATE COW INSULTS UPON MY BLACK PRIDE BLACK AS THE SOIL WE BOTH SHARED SOMETIMES I WISHED MY BLACKNESS AWAY WANTED TO TUCK IT AWAY IN MY POCKET TILL I COULD LEAVE THAT PLACE WE BOTH CALLED HOME WHERE I COULD REMOVE IT FROM MY POCKET SNAP IT ON AND SAY IT LOUD I'M BLACK AND I'M PROUD AND BE HEARD YES, I INDEED DO REMEMBER DO YOU?

WHEN I RETURNED AND THERE YOU WERE A REMINDER OF A YESTERDAY I'D RATHER FORGET MEMORIES FLOODED MY MIND LIKE HAZY BROWN WATER AND YOU SAID REMEMBER ME?

LOOKED ME STRAIGHT IN THE EYE MY CHILDREN STOOD BEHIND ME WAITING EXTENDED YOUR HAND, YOU TOUCHED MY HAND THAT SAME HAND YOU FEARED WOULD TURN YOU BLACK AND I LAUGHED WONDERED IF YOU WOULD RUN HOME TO WASH IT CLEAN IF YOU WOULD CHECK TO MAKE SURE YOU WERE STILL WHITE AND I SHOOK WITH ANGER STOOD SOPPING WET FROM FLOODING MEMORIES YOU SAID IT WAS GOOD TO SEE ME AGAIN SAID YOU WAS PROUD OF MY SUCCESS SAID MY KIDS WERE A NICE LOOKING BUNCH YOU STARED ME RIGHT IN THE FACE SAID THOSE THINGS I STOOD RIGID PROUD, BLACK DIDN'T HAVE TO SAY IT LOUD I KNEW YOU COULD SEE IT KNEW I WORE IT WELL I SAW YOU REMEMBER I SAW THE HALF-HEARTED GUILT-RIDDEN APOLOGY CREEPING FROM YOUR EYES SAW SOME SORROW BUT I WANTED TO HEAR IT HEAR IT FROM YOUR WHITE MOUTH TO MY BLACK EARS BUT YOU COULDN'T, WOULDN'T SAY IT BUT I KNOW YOU REMEMBER JOHNNY P. JUST LIKE I DO, I KNOW YOU REMEMBER FELT THAT THEY WERE INVISIBLE AND THEY WERE INVISIBLE THEY WERE INVISIBLE IN THE SENSE OF BEING POOR AND BEING RURAL BUT BEING BLACK WHERE YOU'RE BASICALLY BECAUSE OF THE CLASS AND THE RACE STRUCTURE OF THIS COUNTRY THAT YOU'RE INVISIBLE YOU'RE NOT SEEN, YOU DON'T... YOU'RE NOT CONSIDERED YOU'RE NOT... THERE ARE NO CONCERNS ABOUT YOU BUT ALSO YOU'RE NOT, UH SEEN AS SOMETHING WHO CAN ALSO CONTRIBUTE TO THE REST OF HUMANITY WHAT I KNOW TO BE TRUE IS THAT THE SAME DYNAMICS THAT, UH UH, FAMOUS URBAN LITERARY MOVEMENTS UH, HAD AT THEIR UH, SOURCE UH, GROUPS SUCH AS THE POETS AND WRITERS OF THE SAN FRANCISCO RENAISSANCE IN THE '50s UH, THE HARLEM RENAISSANCE IN THE 1920s THAT THAT IDENTICAL THING UH, HAS HAPPENED HERE AND, AND EXISTS HERE NOW UH, THE UH, UH, THE QUALITY OF THE WRITING IS THE SAME THE URGENCY, THE USE BY THE COMMUNITY OF THE ART THAT'S BEING PRODUCED THE WAY THE UH, COMMUNITY UH, IS UH, EXPERIENCE THE COMMUNITY EXPERIENCE IS REPRESENTED THROUGH THE WORDS OF A GROUP, A COMMUNITY OF WRITERS UH, ALL OF THAT IS UH, IS, IS WHAT I WOULD JUST SAY UH, THE, THE REAL DEAL AMERICAN SOCIETY IS, IS TEXTURED WITH BLACK CULTURE BUT IT'S NOT GIVEN IT'S NOT GIVEN BLACK CULT- IT DOESN'T, IT DOESN'T HOLD BLACK CULTURE UP IT JUST TAKES FROM IT AND USES IT YOU KNOW ALL... YOU CAN LOOK AT MUSIC YOU CAN LOOK AT CULTURE, YOU CAN LOOK AT THINGS... BUT IT'S NEVER... YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO, UH IT'S NEVER GIVEN THE PLACE THAT IT SHOULD BE GIVEN IN, IN AMERICAN CULTURE AND AMERICAN THOUGHT WELL, WE KEEP GOING, YOU KNOW WE'RE NOT WAITING TO BE UH, ACCEPTED WE'RE NOT WAITING TO BE SANCTIONED BY ANYTHING BECAUSE WE HAVE TOO MANY POEMS TO WRITE WE HAVE TOO MANY SONGS TO WRITE WE HAVE TOO MANY FILMS TO, TO CREATE WE HAVE TOO MUCH TO DO THAT ABSOLUTELY FOCUSES ON KEEPING OUR COMMUNITY VIBRANT, ALIVE, GROWING YOU KNOW, THERE'S THIS WONDERFUL UH, THING THAT MARGARET WALKER, UH, SAID THAT "WE HAVE BEEN OPPRESSED "WE HAVE BEEN REPRESSED WE HAVE NEVER BEEN SUPPRESSED."

"BROWN COUNTRY" I LOVES COUNTRY I'M PARTIAL TO A SAD, SAPPY LOVE SONG AND HEAD BACK HOWLING FOR A LOST LOVE I LIVE TO THE TUNE OF HOPING HOPELESSLY, I AM COUNTRY AND DRAWN TO THE MUSIC OF THE LAND NOT THE RED ON THE WHITE AND THE BLUE BUT THE GREEN AND THE AMBER THE OCHER ORANGE COUNTRY NATIVELY BLACKFOOT WITH LAND, EARTH, OCEAN WHERE FATHERS AND THEIR MOTHERS SMOLDERED IN THE NAME OF A UNION WHEN IT'S ONLY ME I TURN THE CAR RADIO TO IT THE SPOT WHERE GOD, FAMILY, COUNTRY LIVE POLYGAMOUSLY THROUGH THE SILENCE A VOICE LAUGHS ASKING YOU AIN'T REALLY GOING TO LISTEN TO THAT, ARE YOU?

YEAH, GOOD BUDDY, I'M LISTENING SO LET THE CHIPS FALL WHERE THEY MAY BECAUSE I DO, I DO SO LOVE THE BROWN AND THE BLACK OF THE RED ON THE WHITE AND THE BLUE DOES LOVING COUNTRY AND CRAVING A SONG THAT BRINGS UP MY OWN BLACK-BALLED EYES TO THE DEPTH OF MY HAUNTED HUNTED HEART DOES THAT MAKE ME A COUNTRY MUSIC FAN?

A NATURAL FOR SORROW A CHARLINE PRIDE OF COUNTRY POETRY A BLACK COUNTRY SINGER WITH ACOUSTIC AND ERASER PLUCKING A NAPPY LIVE WIRE I WHO SING ALONG WITH THE TWANGING OF THE CAR RADIO WITH COUNTRY SONGS WHEN NOBODY IS LISTENING HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN BEING AFRICAN AND LOVING COUNTRY?

NOT THE RED OR THE WHITE IN THE BLUE BUT THE GREEN AND THE AMBER, THE OCHER ORANGE CAROLINA BORN SO I SEEN IT ALL FROM SEA TO SHINING SEA ISLAND I PLAY IT BACK TO YOU WITH A PENCIL SHARP GUITAR AND HAMBONE HARD WITH THE OTHER MERCY ME, I'LL THROW MY HEAD BACK IN A MINUTE EVEN CLOSE MY EYES TIGHT WHEN I SING IT'S ALWAYS SOMETHING ABOUT LOSING MY HEAD OR MAKING UP WITH OR JUST PLAIN WALLOWING IN THE PAIN OF LOVE AH, COME ON NOW YOU KNOW HOW IT GOES I'M NO DOLLY OR BILLY RAY BUT I SURE AM COUNTRY I'LL MAKE MY VOICE LOW COUNTRY QUIVER REAL GOOD THEN ROLL OUT FOR YOU, YOU LAUGHING, BUT THIS REALLY AIN'T NOTHING SHAKY BAKY 'CAUSE I KNOW BLACK FOLKS BORN IN A HOLLER WHO SCREAM ALL THEIR LIFE AND NOBODY EVER WRITES A SONG ABOUT THEM SHOULDN'T THAT BE A COUNTRY SONG, TOO?

OR IS THAT ONLY POVERTY THE PRIVATE PROPERTY OF BLUES MEN AND PLUMB BLEACHED WOMEN ANOTHER JURISDICTION, ANOTHER COUNTRY AT THE END OF MY SINGING IT'S ALWAYS SO GRAND OLD OPRY HOT THAT MY MASCARA'S USUALLY RUNNING AND BY THEN THE BRECK HAIR SPRAY HAS WILTED MY LOCKS BACK DOWN TO LION SIZE NORMAL AND I'M READY TO UNHITCH MY SILVER BUCKLE DROP MY JEAN SKIRT TO THE FLOOR AND FIND ME SOME INDIGO TO WRAP BACK 'ROUND MY WAIST WELL, SHOOT GOOD BUDDY, WHAT MORE DO I HAVE TO DO TO PROVE IT, I TELL YOU, IT'S TRUE I AM A BLACK COUNTRY SINGER 'CAUSE WHAT THERE IS FOR ME TO SING ABOUT SHOULD MAKE YOU PUSH YOUR BEER TO THE SIDE AND TAKE A WALK THROUGH SOME BLACK FAMILY FARMLAND SOME BLACK BURIAL GROUNDS NOW SOLD AND DESECRATED BY GOLFBALL SIGNS THAT SAY PRIVATE DRIVE SHOULD MAKE YOU WANT TO KNOW THIS SINGING SOUTHERNER'S TRUTH IT'S MY JOB, LIVING IN THIS BROWN COUNTRY MAKE YOU TAP YOUR FOOT LONG ENOUGH MAKE YOU SMILE AT YOURSELF UNTIL YOU RECOGNIZE YOUR DADDY'S FACE FLOATING IN WHAT I'M SAYING UNTIL YOU ASK YOURSELF AS YOU WALK AWAY DOES SHE REALLY LISTEN TO COUNTRY MUSIC?

OR WAS THAT JUST A POEM?

COUNTRY THE TWANGING ONE YOU ALWAYS HEAR IS SOMETIMES SAD, BUT ALWAYS SWEET STEEPED IN HONOR AND FAMILY AND CHEATING CHECKERED SKIRTS AND THE BACKSIDE OF SOME POOR, SLITHERING CREATURE PUMMELED AND STRETCHED INTO A PAIR OF ROACH KILLING BOOTS THEY DANCE TO THE SIZZLING NOTES THAT I JUST LEAN AND LISTEN TO THE LONG AND LAZY STRETCHED OUT LINES ABOUT LIFE BUT WHOSE LIFE?

AND WHOSE COUNTRY?

THIS IS NOT ABOUT HAPPY ENDINGS THIS MUSIC AIN'T CONCERNING CINDERELLAS BUT STEPSISTERS AND SONS AND PUMPKINS AND SHOES THAT NEVER FIT SOME FEET AND THE LONELY OF LIFE AND HOW TO DANCE IT BACK AWAY SO WHY DOES THIS BLACK GIRL'S IAMBIC FEET ALWAYS HAVE TO DO-SI-DO IN YOUR FACE ABOUT IT?

WHY DOES SHE HAVE TO SING COUNTRY MUSIC TO HERSELF?

ALONE IN HER CAR TO NOT BE AFRAID WHY CAN'T SHE BUY A FRONT ROW SEAT AND JUST WAVE TO NAOMI JUDD AS SHE SINGS THOSE TOO CLOSE TO ARETHA-LIKE LINES I LOVE YOU SO STINKING MUCH THAT IF YOU EVER TRY AND LEAVE ME, I'M GOING WITH YOU FOR THE ACHING SORROW SWEETNESS THAT IS ALWAYS THERE FOR THE GREEN AND THE AMBER OF THE OCHER ORANGE IN THE RED ON THE WHITE OF THE BLUE THAT I ALWAYS FEEL I LIKE LISTENING TO ITS SWEET TANG LINGER LIKE A SOUR APPLE BAKED TO THE PIPES OF MY ROASTED MOUTH AS I DRIVE THIS BACK ROAD HOME I TAKE TASTE OF IT GOOD AS I PULL INTO THIS HONKY TONK GAS STATION AND PUMP FIVE DOLLARS PREMIUM I SING ALONG UNTIL UNTIL I HEAR MY RADIO SAME SONG EVEN LOUDER NOW AND I LOOK AROUND FOR THE TWIN SOURCE ROLLING OUT A HIKED UP SUMMERTIME WINDOW THERE, OVER THERE IN THE DINER NEXT TO THE STATION I KNOW THE WORDS BUT MY DADDY'S LIPS FREEZE I END MY HARMLESS SING-ALONG AND LOOK UP I FALL INTO DOZENS OF CRAWLING-ALL-OVER-ME EYES THAT ACCOMPANY THE KENTUCKY HEADHUNTER TUNE THEY ARE FULL OF CATFISH AND BUDWEISER AND QUICKLY TURN INTO RAZORS SWINGING IN THE AUGUST AIR I FEEL THE BLOOD GUSHING, CUTTING THE MUSIC INTO THE RED THEN THE WHITE, THE BLUE OF MY BROWN THIS PLACE WHERE THE COWBOY UNDER THE HAT SPITS THE COLOR OF MY MOTHER'S SKIN OUT HIS WINDOW I WAS TAUGHT NEVER TO STEP INSIDE HE KNOWS ALL THIS AND FOLLOWS MY EVERY MOVE GUZZLING DOWN HIS YAHOO DRINK HE BRINGS HIS BUDDIES TO THE LOOKING GLASS WITH HIM THEY ZIP THEIR PANTS UP AND DOWN LIKE A FIDDLE AS ONE OF THEM BEGINS TO STEP AWAY FROM THE REST I TAP OFF THE DRIZZLING NOZZLE I REALLY NEED TO PAY FOR MY GAS AND GO BUT MY SWINGING FEET ARE STITCHED FROZEN TO MY LIPS I LOOK AWAY TO THE WOODS ALL AROUND ME MY GRANDFATHER IS UNTYING HIMSELF FROM ALL THE TREES THERE HE STEPS TOWARD ME HE SAYS I SHOULD CONSIDER HISTORY THE PAYMENT IN FULL AND GO COUNTRY MUSIC IS HISTORICAL THIS IS THE MUSIC WE WERE LYNCHED BY THESE ARE THE HANGMAN'S SONGS CONSCIOUSNESS IS CHANGING UH, HERE, BUT THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT IT THAT DOESN'T CHANGE THE LITERARY CONSCIOUSNESS THE, THE THING THAT DOESN'T CHANGE IS, IS IS THIS ENDURING INTEREST IN THE LAND AND IN THE GROUND AND IN THE SITES WHERE IMPORTANT THINGS HAVE HAPPENED HISTORICALLY AND ABOVE ALL WHERE WE HAVE COMMUNITY MEMORY AND UH, THIS IS THE THING THAT, THAT UH THAT UH, UH, AFRICAN-AMERICAN PEOPLE EURO-ANGLO PEOPLE ALL HAVE IN COMMON WHO HAVE CREATED THE SOCIETY THAT WE KNOW ENJOY HERE UH, AND I THINK THAT WE'RE ONLY IN THE EARLY STAGES OF UH OF UH, REALLY APPRECIATING WHAT A, A POWERFUL THING UH, THIS IS UH, THE, THE UH, THE STRENGTH OF HISTORIC AWARENESS AND COMMUNITY MEMORY UH, AS A BINDING FORCE IN WHAT OTHER PEOPLE MIGHT CALL UH, UH, POST MODERN AMERICA THEY HAVE BECOME AVANT-GARDE IN A SENSE THE AFFRILACHIAN POETS HAVE BECOME AN AVANT-GARDE IN A SENSE BUT NOT IN THE WAY THAT A GROUP OF ELITIST ARTISTS HAVE DECIDED THAT THEY ARE IN THE FOREFRONT THEY'VE BECOME AVANT-GARDE BECAUSE THEY HAVE GONE BACK TO THE MOST BASIC OF HUMAN SITUATIONS TO FIND OUT WHO THEY ARE, TO VALIDATE THEIR PAST TO VALIDATE THEIR BACKGROUNDS, TO VALIDATE THEIR ROOTS AND BY DOING SO THEY HAVE TOUCHED SOMETHING SO DEEP IN THE CORE OF ALL OF US WHEN WE READ THEIR WORK AND WHEN WE COME IN CONTACT WITH THEIR WORK THAT HAS PUSHED THEM INTO THE FRONT IT'S NOT A POSTURED "I WANT TO BE A GREAT ARTIST" TYPE OF ATTITUDE IT'S "I WANT TO TALK ABOUT MY PEOPLE "I WANT TO TALK ABOUT MY HISTORY "I WANT TO TALK ABOUT MY PAST "I WANT TO TALK ABOUT MY FAMILY AND THE LAND THAT WE COME UP IN A VALID THEME" AS A VALID PART OF... LAND WE CAME OUT OF IS A VALID PART OF OF WHAT NEEDS TO BE SAID AS AN ARTIST "KENTUCKE" KENTUCKE, ONCE BLOODY GROUND HUNTING EDEN FOR NATIVE TONGUES APOLOGETICALLY ELIMINATING BUFFALO FOR SUSTENANCE NOT SPORT OR PROFIT OR PLEASURE UNCOMMON WEALTH REPOPULATED WITH IMMIGRANTS AND FREEDMEN WHO DISCOVERED BLACK LUNG WAS AS INDISCRIMINATE AS CALLUSES AND HUNGER YOU REMAIN NORTH AND SOUTH INTERSTATE HIGHWAYS YOUR CRUCIFIX BLESSING YOURSELF WITH 64 AND I-75 YOU HAVE DERBIED AND DRIBBLED YOURSELF A PLACE IN THE WORLD THAT WILL NOT LET FORGET THAT YOU CO-RUPPED BASKETBALL YOUR CASH CROP CAUSES CANCER AND THE RUN FOR THE ROSES IS ONLY TWO MINUTES LONG KIN TUCKY BEAUTIFUL UGLY COUSIN I TOO AM OF THESE HILLS MY FOLKS HAVE CORN ROWED TOBACCO LAID TRACK, STRIP MINED, WORSHIPPED AND WHISKIED FROM HARLAN TO MAYSVILLE OLD DUNBAR TO CENTRAL OUR WHITNEY YOUNGS AND MAE STREET KIDDS CUT THEIR TEETH ON BOURBON BALLS AND THOUGH CONSPICUOUSLY ABSENT FROM MILLIONAIRES ROW WE HAVE ISAAC MURPHIED OUR WAY DOWN THE BACK STRETCH CASSIUS CLAYED OUR NAMES IN CEMENT WE ARE THE AMEN IN CHURCH HILL DOWNS THE MINT IN THE JULEP WE PUT THE HEAT IN THE HOTBROWN AND GAVE IT COLOR, INDEED SOME OF THE BLUEGRASS IS BLACK (Audience cheering and applauding) [Closed captioning by the KET Caption Center] [was made possible by a grant] [from the Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels] [and in part by a grant from The Lexington Lions Club] [and a gift from the Lloyd E. Rigler-Lawrence E. Deutsch Foundation]