Dethsula
She Dethsula Bey Graves take dis whole worl ta howse Carry def in huh pockets you might’kuh see fo a dollar Awlup in da greens an darkuh greens rooted in huh soul Whateva you’kuh do fa huh she done done an ain’t wont Bess you jess gih whatseneva she ax fa den git Whatseneva she got to gih you back uh be worf it She Lena Brown take da whole dream an sleep in it Fancy cuvuhs on huh bed an man undaneef em unda Lena Full bress an behine hair prest aht rill fine I know yeen expek huh to stay deah ackin cute fuheva Lena Brown get tied atha-while Bounda cut huh haiyuh down an hawlass Wit huh luh purdy Bernice Johnson self Drankin brown down sweet tawkin awl night Wit folks who like a name like Bernice Look like dey jess open dey heart a luh bit mo My Auntie Granny Teacha mmm hmm she know Don’t bit mo care neither jess got you open some Fa you ta do yo part mo better She Silvia Rivera Schuerch take dis an run wit it All upinthoo yo paypuhs an laugh to huhself Like a posed to be brown girl marryin money Time you fine aht Silvia awlready in deah She Bethsula Bey take dis whole worl to honey Take a lil white to da head to sofin da Black from da blues Swea dey’kuh tell huh huh name She been knew boy been tellin yo behine Janet Wanita Jackson yes you are correc Seem easy enuf to memba Janet Jackson dohna You’ah rememba huh anyhih Wanita is impor’int So you add it in when you caw huh aht She ain’t lookin up ta nobody cawlin lessin dey in deah An wit huh like Miss Dethsula Bethsula Bey Silvia Lena Wanita Bernice Janet Jackson Graves is
© Vanya Allen
Coconut Grove, February 14, 2016. Photo by Johanne Rahaman
