Taylor Post #4

by Thompson 2 Comments

“You gotta be mo’ in this world” (21, Shange)

“Indigo’s specialties were other worlds, fiddling” (34, Shange)

“I just can’t imagine another world” (63, Shange)

“There was so much to do. Black people needed so many things” (2, Shange)

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I’m thinking a lot about what has got to be birthed into this world and what worlds have got to be birthed:

Sometimes, the apocalyptic-ness of our times threatens to stop me in my tracks–I feel fear spread up my back, belly and chest, all hot and prickly. I go numb.

And then I remember learning to make apple pie with my Grandmother.

I don’t remember a lot about her anymore but I just remember that day: the Kitchen is too hot and I’m sweating and really bad at kneading dough because I am a child, with clumsy child fingers. But her fingers move all swift and skillful “recipe, and ritual”. And all I can remember about the moment otherwise is that, that woman just loved me– so much. And I can feel her taking care of me–teaching me to create something that will nourish our spirits–every time I remember to reach for her (memory).

I think the memory sometimes exists like a pocket-world I can inhabit and draw strength from. It beats the life back into me on days I don’t want to feel anything anymore, when the fear creeps and  I forget to “take care”.

In Sassafrass, Cypress & Indigo, there is great concern around what world the girls choose to inhabit, what world the girls choose to create and what world the girls can consider to be ‘real’ and fictional. What is clear to me though, is that no matter how “mad” the girls looked while engaging in their unique and respective rituals of creation throughout the text, they were all on a journey of learning how to take care of themselves and by extension, each other in a time where they were “never meant to survive” (Lorde).

 

Edit:

Youtube Poem by ‘Tasha’ from Debut Album ‘Alone at Last’

Link to article on her Debut Album and Work as an Artist: https://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/multidisciplinary-chicago-artist-tasha-comes-into-her-own-as-a-musician-on-alone-at-last/Content?oid=60978249

Comments ( 2 )

  1. Kim Hall
    What a beautiful post Taylor. For me, your description of making pie with your grandmother made me almost literally see for the first time the link between cooking and weaving. "I am a child, with clumsy child fingers. But her fingers move all swift and skillful" feels like it could describe the first attempts at weaving--and at playing the piano-- as well as kneading dough. This visual poem is a beautiful counterpart to the novel and your post. The imagery reminds me of Julie Dash's *Daughters of the Dust* which is frequently discussed in relation to SC&I. FYI: I know folks are trying to get things uploaded before class, but in the future, give us a little information (metadata!) about the video-- name of artist, etc.
  2. Thompson
    Thank you! I have edited the post to include the artist name, the album and an article about her work!

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