from Jordan’s Things I Do in the Dark, 1977
[…]
and even the stars and even the snow and even
the rain
do not amount to much
unless these things submit to some disturbance
some derangement such
as when I yield myself/belonging
to your unmistaken
body
from A Couple of Questions
by June Jordan
I have someplace to go
and candles to light
and I live 3,500 miles and 3 time zones away
from the only lover in the world
who can keep me
awake when I’m actually fast
asleep
And all of this hatred sorely aggravates my soul
all of this hatred aggravates my soul
and hate will not obliterate
3 time zones
plus 3,500 miles
of Unadulterated Baby I’m Here By My Lonesome Self Reality
and so I’m trying to handle this math
I know
it’s a fact
you can’t take a political meeting
to bed
it’s a fact
and there are these other
several happy things I want to find out about
instead
like
when will you love me enough
to move
just a little bit closer
Winter Honey
June Jordan
Sugar come
and sugar go
Sugar dumb
but sugar know
ain’ nothin’ run me for my money
nothin’ sweet like winter honey
Sugar high
and sugarlow
Sugar pie
and sugar dough
Then sugar throw
a sugar fit
And sugar find
a sugar tit
But never mind
what sugar find
ain’ nothin’ run me for my money
nothin’ sweet like winter honey
Sugar come
and please don’ go
Sugar dumb
but oh-my: Oh!
Ain’ nothin’ run me for my money
nothin’ sweet like winter honey
Verse after Listening to Bartok Play Bartok a Second Time, or Different Ways of Tingling All Over
June Jordan
now
and then
unexpectedly
unexpectedly
unexpectedly
This Frenzy 