1943, you marry?
Handsome boy, a navy man.
Mmm, mmm, mmm, mmm
He go off to fight Japan.
You stay home?
Give birth to Larry.
Then three years of lonely waiting.
Fearful prayers.
Anticipating.
1945 the Navy send you home your handsome man.
Life is sunny, life is gravy.
Thank you, Jesus, thank you Navy!
He is home now, every limb is beauty, lovely, like a tree.
Falling deep in love with him.
The handsome Navy man!
Falling deep in love with him, long and tall and sweet and slim.
& Even now your hand can summon
how his neck, his belly feel, shoulders, what his breath was like.
Hands burn then with happy fire, every inch of you desire.
Longing set your skin aflame.
Nurse the baby, sing his name!
Sing his name! Sing his name!
& Back in 1947
Ain't no work for negro men.
You's both hanging on to heaven.
Emmie come
Shipyard close.
'mmonia factory almost hire him.
Only white mens in that union!
He get drunk, he scared, he angry.
feeling hopeless, I suppose...
]WM] He hit you!
Just once!
He break your nose...
Larry is a gentle baby. Emmie fussy, never sleeps...
He gets drunk.
He broke my nose.
Even now your face can summon.
What his punch feel like, the pain,
Pain is white
remember pain?
Pain is white
that is its color,
bright as sunshine.
Nighttime follow.
Bitterness you drink and swallow.
God whose eye is on the sparrow, please make Emmie go to bed.
Folk'll stare tomorrow, Jesus, please fix up my swollen head.
Please, a job so he stop drinking!
Please, he don't like digging sewers.
No one likes that diggin sewers!
Please give me a mop and bucket.
Please, a white folks house to tend.
Please some money, feed the babies.
Choke his throat when he drink liquor
Make my sis help with my babies,
Let him see he mess with me
After I have spent the day
Putting white folks clothes away
Tell him God, if he EVER
EVER HIT ME AGAIN!
Larry, Emmie, Jackie, Joe
Other men find work.
He don't!
Change come fast and change comes slow.
Other men leave drink.
He can't!
Ahead of time you're getting old.
Care beatin down on you.
Then one day...
& Then one day...
One bad day...
he hit again...
You beat him black and blue!
Then, he disappear from view
And even now your hand can summon
What it like to beat his face in.
What his back feel like, his kiss.
Even now, your scar hand miss
The handsome boy, the Navy man.
CAROLINE, WASHING MACHINE, RADIO
Sorrow bleed you.
Where is he?!
Where is he?!
WHERE IS HE?!
You are sixteen
sixteen
sixteen
sixteen
sixteen
Caroline?
CAROLINE
Sixteen feet beneath the sea...

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