The Complete Collected Poems of Maya Angelou (6 page)

Their hair, pomaded, faces jaded
bones protruding, hip-wise,
the models strutted, backed and butted,
then stuck their mouths out, lip-wise.

They'd nasty manners, held like banners,
while they looked down their nose-wise.
I'd see ‘em in hell, before they'd sell
me one thing they're wearing, clothes-wise.

The Black Bourgeois, who all say “yah”
when yeah is what they're meaning,
should look around, both up and down,
before they set out preening.

“Indeed,” they swear, “that's what I'll wear
when I go country-clubbing.”
I'd remind them please, look at those knees,
you got at Miss Ann's scrubbing.

Your Momma took to shouting,
Your Poppa's gone to war,
Your sister's in the streets,
Your brother's in the bar,
The thirteens. Right On.

Your cousin's taking smack,
Your uncle's in the joint,
Your buddy's in the gutter,
Shooting for his point,
The thirteens. Right On.

And you, you make me sorry,
You out here by yourself,
I'd call you something dirty,
But there just ain't nothing left,
‘cept
The thirteens. Right On.

Your Momma kissed the chauffeur,
Your Poppa balled the cook,
Your sister did the dirty,
in the middle of the book,
The thirteens. Right On.

Your daughter wears a jock strap,
Your son he wears a bra,
Your brother jonesed your cousin
in the back seat of the car.
The thirteens. Right On.

Your money thinks you're something,
But if I'd learned to curse,
I'd tell you what your name is,
But there just ain't nothing worse
than
The thirteens. Right On.

One foot down, then hop! It's hot.
Good things for the ones that's got.
Another jump, now to the left.
Everybody for hisself.

In the air, now both feet down.
Since you black, don't stick around.
Food is gone, the rent is due,
Curse and cry and then jump two.

All the people out of work,
Hold for three, then twist and jerk.
Cross the line, they count you out.
That's what hopping's all about.

Both feet flat, the game is done.
They think I lost. I think I won.

To PAUL

There's a long-legged girl
in San Francisco
by the Golden Gate.
She said she'd give me all I wanted
but I just couldn't wait.
I started to
Pickin em up
and layin em down, Pickin em up
and layin em down, Pickin em up
and layin em down, gettin to the next town Baby.

There's a pretty brown
in Birmingham.
Boys, she little and cute
but when she like to tied me down
I had to grab my suit and started to
Pickin em up
and layin em down,
Pickin em up
and layin em down,
Pickin em up
and layin em down,
gettin to the next town
Baby.

I met that lovely Detroit lady
and thought my time had come
But just before I said “I do”
I said “I got to run” and started to
Pickin em up
and layin em down,
Pickin em up
and layin em down,
Pickin em up
and layin em down,
gettin to the next town
Baby.

There ain't no words for what I feel
about a pretty face
But if I stay I just might miss
a prettier one some place
I started to
Pickin em up
and layin em down,
Pickin em up
and layin em down,
Pickin em up
and layin em down,
gettin to the next town
Baby.

I went to a party
out in Hollywood,
The atmosphere was shoddy
 but the drinks were good,
and that's where I heard you laugh.

I then went cruising
on an old Greek ship,
The crew was amusing
but the guests weren't hip,
that's where I found your hands.

On to the Sahara
in a caravan,
The sun struck like an arrow
 but the nights were grand,
and that's how I found your chest.

An evening in the Congo
 where the Congo ends,
I found myself alone, oh
but I made some friends,
that's where I saw your face.

I have been devoting
all my time to get
Parts of you out floating
still unglued as yet.

Won't you pull yourself together
For
 Me
ONCE