DOPE: "No Assistance" from "For Colored Girls..." by Ntozake Shange

without any assistance or guidance from you
i have loved you assiduously for 8 months 2 wks & a day
i have been stood up four times
i've left 7 packages on yr doorstep
forty poems 2 plants & 3 handmade notecards i left
town so i cd send to you

you have been no help to me
on my job
you call at 3:00 in the mornin on weekdays
so i cd drive 27 1/2 miles cross the bay before i go to work
charmin charmin
but you are of no assistance

i want you to know
this waz an experiment
to see how selfish i cd be
if i wd really carry on to snare a possible lover
if i waz capable of debasin my self for the love of another
if i cd stand not being wanted
when i wanted to be wanted
& i cannot
so
with no further assistance & no guidance from you
i am endin this affair

this note is attached to a plant
i've been watering since the day i met you
you may water it
yr damn self

From "for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf"
- Ntozake Shange

Miss Moon's Musing About: "For Colored Girls".. and the Backlash

“ When I die, I will not be guilty of having left a generation of girls behind thinking that anyone can tend to their emotional health other than themselves.”
-- Ntozake Shange


I admit to being more than a little bit nervous when I learned that Tyler Perry was taking on "For Colored Girls", primarily because he is a relatively young director and I thought he may not have the chops to take on such a important piece of work. Despite my fears, I vowed to go see the movie due to my love and adoration for the works of Ntozake Shange. And despite the anger and controversy surrounding the film, I am very much looking forward to seeing the movie this weekend.



The backlash to this movie isn't really surprising to me. When "The Color Purple" came out, it received a similar backlash (Check Out Alice Walker's Book "The Same River Twice: Honoring the Difficult" which chronicles her experience making the movie and the aftermath).



I will never truly understand why there is always this feeling of betrayal that is talked about and discussed when a movie is about black women and actually tackles serious issues. Think about the opinion pieces that were written in response to “The Color Purple” and “Waiting to Exhale”.



Are all black men abusive, alcoholic, evil beings who only spread chaos and despair in a black woman's life? Absolutely not. Should we ignore the fact that there ARE men like “Mister” or “Beau Willie” in the world? Should we ignore the fact that as you read these words, a woman somewhere is being abused? We should not!!! And we shouldn't prevent a woman from relating and seeing their lives, or the lives of their Mothers portrayed on the silver screen. I can talk about the way women are portrayed in classic movies that are geared to black men (New Jack City, Boyz in the Hood, etc.), but I am not interested in turning the tables.



The contempt and fear of “For Colored Girls” is strangely reminiscent to me of plantation owners fearing groups of slaves assembling. There is nothing wrong with women sharing their stories with each other: the good, the bad, their fear, anger, frustration, passion and their hope.



Black women have always had to be strong for their families, for their communities... often at the expense of their own personal development. Why is a black woman's journey to “find God” in herself tantamount to selling out in some way? A fantastic part of life is finding a connection: to God, to each other, to life, to one's own sense of purpose, and to deny any woman (or any man for that matter) the chance to find that connection is sinful.



This movie can be considered a great opportunity to discuss the impact of substance abuse, of rape, of domestic violence and how it affects our culture. To ignore this opportunity by debating Tyler Perry's worthiness as a director, Janet Jackson's acting prowess and even if this movie is “male-bashing” is a disservice to women and children in need of our love, our protection and our respect.



We gotta dance to keep from cryin
We gotta dance to keep from dyin
So come on
Come on
Come on
Hold yr head like it was a ruby sapphire

DO SOMETHING: Jawn Murray vs. “Militant”,“Nappy-headed.”Black Women

"Yo, some nappy heads need to check they necks for red"
- The Fugees, "Nappy Heads"

I honestly have never heard of Jawn Murray before this evening. And after reading his comments on Twitter, in regards of the “militant” and “nappy-headed” naysayers of Tyler Perry's adaptation of Ntozake Shange's "For Colored Girls...", I'm of the belief that I haven't missed much. I have heard of Tom Joyner, and from what I've seen of him (Mostly from watching Henry Louis Gates' "Faces of America" series), I am astonished he is associated with such a douche.



You're a Tyler Perry fan, Jawn... I get it. I am too... really! I've actually paid money to go see both "Madea Goes to Jail" and "Why Did I Get Married, Too?", in addition to Chris and I seeing "Madea's Big Happy Family" at Madison Square Garden... so I've contributed in my own meager little way to the mogul's multi-million dollar franchise. But... what's with the anger? And why is your anger targeted at women with natural hair? Did I miss a memo from the Nappy-Headed Women Coalition that we ALL HATE Tyler Perry? Does the belief that he is still too green as a director to tackle such a complicated piece of literature mean that we hate him? Hmm... so much to think about.

I am of the belief that Jawn Murray is not familiar with "For Colored Girls Who've Consider Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf" or with Ntozake Shange.... because her work is FULL of women he's most likely consider both "militant" and "nappy-headed"... from Sassafrass to Betsey Brown and definitely Lilianne.

I wonder if he would give the women of Ntozake Shange's most memorable works the following advice?



How's that?!?!?!? Why don't we ask Ntozake Shange what she thinks?

(Side note: Isn't this a completely GORGEOUS picture? I am SOOO printing this out and hanging it up in my home!)

Wait a minute...Ntozake looks kinda militant. Just look at that Nefertiti nose-ring... I bet you underneath that (VERY Afrocentric! ::gasps::) headscarf there's some nappy hair under there!!! OH NOOOOOOOO!!!

I signed a Twitter Petition condemning his callous, insensitive and straight-up "ignant" defense of Tyler Perry at the expense of black women and I hope that you will join me in demanding an apology.

For more information, please go to: http://www.forharriet.com/2010/10/reporter-jawn-murray-calls-black-women.html

To sign the petition, click here.

DOPE: Tyler Perry's "For Colored Girls" Trailer Premiere

Say what you want about Tyler Perry... but he is getting us talking about Ntozake Shange and getting excited about seeing her work once again. And that is a tremendous blessing.



All I know was the preview gave me chills and I am so happy that it will be released a few short days before my 33rd birthday!!



If you have never read "For Colored Girls...." or never had the opportunity to see the televised stage version from the 70s (With a very young Alfre Woodard and Lynn Whitfield) be sure to check out them both before seeing this movie!!

DOPE: "a laying on of hands" Ntozake Shange

A Laying on of Hands
from "for colored girls who have considered suicide | when the rainbow is enuf"
by Ntozake Shange

i waz missing somethin
somethin so important
somethin promised
a layin on of hands
fingers near my forehead
strong
cool
movin
makin me whole
sense pure
all the gods comin into me
layin me open to myself
i waz missing somethin
somethin promised
somethin free
a layin on of hands
i know bout/layin on bodies/layin outta man
bringin him alla my fleshy self & some of my pleasure
bein taken full eager wet like i get sometimes
i waz missing somethin
a layin on of hands
not a man
layin on
not my mama/holdin me tight/sayin
i'm laways gonna be her girl
not a layin on of bosom and womb
a layin on of hands
the holiness of myself released

i sat up one nite walkin a boardin house
screamin/cryin/the ghost of another woman
who waz missin what i waz missin
i wanted to jump up outta my bones
& be done wit myself
leave me alone
& go on in the wind
it waz too much
i fell into a numbness
til the only tree i cd see
took me up in her branches
held me in the breeze
made me dawn dew
that chill at daybreak
the sun wrapped me up swingin rose light everywhere
the sky laid over me like a million men
i waz cold/i waz burnin up/a child
& endlessly weavin garments for the moon
wit my tears
i found god in myself
& i loved her/i loved her fiercely

DOPE: "somebody almost walked off wid..." Ntozake Shange

I have heard rumors that Tyler Perry is making a film adaptation of "For Colored Girls..... ". I maintain an "optimistic, but wary" stance about that.

Anyway, Buena Batiste (who I just discovered searching for this monologue) is fantastic in her performance, so I give her a big two thumbs up for that.



somebody almost walked off wid alla my stuff
- Ntozake Shange

somebody almost walked off wid alla my stuff
not my poems or a dance i gave up in the street
but somebody almost walked off wid alla my stuff
like a kleptomaniac workin hard & forgettin while stealin
this is mine/this aint yr stuff/
now why don't you put me back & let me hang out in my own self
somebody almost walked off wit alla my stuff
& didn't care enuf to send a note home sayin
i was late for my solo conversation
or two sizes to small for my own tacky skirts
what can anybody do wit somethin of no value on
a open market/ did you getta dime for my things/
hey man/ where are you goin wid alla my stuff/
to ohh & ahh abt/ daddy/ i gotta mainline number
from my own shit/ now wontcha put me back/ & let
me play this duet/ wit silver ring in my nose/
honest to god/ somebody almost run off wit alla my stuff/
& i didnt bring anythin but the kick & sway of it
the perfect ass for my man & none of it is theirs
this is mine/ ntozake 'her own things'/ that's my name
now give me my stuff/ i see ya hidin my laugh/ & how i
sit wif my legs open sometimes/ to give my crotch
some sunlight/ & there goes my love my toes my chewed
up finger nails/ niggah/ wif the curls in yr hair/
mr. louisiana hot link/ i want my stuff back/
my rhytums & my voice/ open my mouth/ & let me talk ya
outta/ throwin my shit in the sewar/ this is some delicate
leg & whimsical kiss/ i gotta have to give to my choice/
without you runnin off wit alla my shit/
now you cant have me less i give me away/ & i waz
doin all that/ til ya run off on a good thing/
who is this you left me wit/ some simple bitch
widda bad attitude/ i wants my things/
i want my arm wit the hot iron scar/ & my leg wit the
flea bite/ i want my calloused feet & quik language back
in my mouth/ fried plantains/ pineapple pear juice/
sun-ra & joseph & jules/ i want my own things/ how i lived them/
& give me my memories/ how i waz when i waz there/
you cant have them or do nothin wit them/
stealin my shit from me/ dont make it yrs/ makes it stolen/
somebody almost run off wit alla my stuff/ & i waz standin
there/ lookin at myself/ the whole time
& it waznt a spirit took my stuff/ waz a man whose
ego walked round like Rodan's shadow/ waz a man faster
n my innocence/ waz a lover/ i made too much
room for/ almost run off wit alla my stuff/
& i didnt know i'd give it up so quik/ & the one runnin wit it/
don't know he got it/ & i'm shoutin this is mine/ & he dont
know he got it/ my stuff is the anonymous rip[ped off treasure
of the year/ did you know somebody almost got away wit me/
me in a plastic bag under their arm/ me
danglin on a string of personal carelessness/ i'm spattered wit
mud & city rain/ & no i didnt get a chance to take a douche/
hey man/ this is not your perogative/ i gotta have me in my
pocket/ to get round like a good woman shd/ & make the poem
in the pot or the chicken in the dance/ what i got to do/
i gotta get my stuff to do it to/
why dont ya find yr own things/ & leave this package
of me for my destiny/ what ya got to get from me/
i'll give it to ya/ yeh/ i'll give it to ya/
round 5:00 in the winter/ when the sky is blue-red/
& Dew City is gettin pressed/ if it's really my stuff/
ya gotta give it to me/ if ya really want it/ i'm
the only one/ can handle it