#AmericanWriters
Gather quickly Out of darkness All the songs you know And throw them at the sun Before they melt
My name is Johnson— Madam Alberta K. The Madam stands for business. I’m smart that way. I had a
The ivory gods, And the ebony gods, And the gods of diamond and jade, Sit silently on their temple shelv… While the people
I work all day, Said Simple John, Myself a house to buy. I work all day, Said Simple John,
When a man starts out with nothing… When a man starts out with his han… Empty, but clean, When a man starts to build a world… He starts first with himself
Night funeral In Harlem: Where did they get Them two fine cars? Insurance man, he did not pay—
In the Quarter of the Negroes Where the doors are doors of paper Dust of dingy atoms Blows a scratchy sound. Amorphous jack—o’—Lanterns caper
You and your whole race. Look down upon the town in which y… And be ashamed. Look down upon white folks And upon yourselves
Let the rain kiss you. Let the rain beat upon your head w… Let the rain sing you a lullaby. The rain makes still pools on the… The rain makes running pools in th…
Democracy will not come Today, this year Nor ever Through compromise and fear. I have as much right
The census man, The day he came round, Wanted my name To put it down. I said, Johnson,
I am your son, white man! Georgia dusk And the turpentine woods. One of the pillars of the temple f… You are my son!
In places like Selma, Alabama, Kids say, In places like Chicago and New York...
I look at the world From awakening eyes in a black fac… And this is what I see: This fenced—off narrow space Assigned to me.
Clean the spittoons, boy. Detroit, Chicago, Atlantic City, Palm Beach.