| Author | Message | ||
     Chrishayden "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Chrishayden Post Number: 6562 Registered: 03-2004 Rating: N/A |
River City Dance by Chris Hayden A city aint just concrete and stone Steel O no Aint just roads black asphalt grumbling groaning neath the wheel A city be flesh blood bone Spirit and soul People Make a city a city Good people city people good people Like walls are made up Of single bricks People make a city a city People drummin buck dancin be boppin African people Fon and Anajo people Hausa People Mandinka People People Ashanti and Fulani Ibo Yoruba Ochosi people Ifa people Awo people People of Esu Elegba Shango Oduduwa Oshun Say praise in the Mother Toungue Odede odede odede Odede iwa lere kanfora (Stand tall stand tall stand tall Stand tall with the character of goodness) Ase people Asante sana people people wood carvin griot tellin divinin Benin bronzeworkin laughin bright as kente cloth weavin People in love with D'Drum People with respect for and remembrance of The Ancestors People of the N'goma Youth of the Yari Yari BeboppinRockRollinHipHoppin A kidnapped bridge Of black flesh and blood spannin the Atlantic to the Caribbean And the South Down Home New Orleans Sister River City at the Mouth of the Delta Beboppin Beatin Beatin Black Black beat into the Heart of River City Made a trading station by the Frenchman Choutea and Laclede Who named it For the Saint People coming up Here From Down South Ridin Underground railway steel Rafts and boats Leapin like trout Votin with their feet Seekin the Promised Land Bearing charms hoodoos People of the Great Migration Exodusters trekkin to The Lou Up with Satchmo and Jazz on the riverboats from Storyville People with their sorrow songs and spirituals and quilting and home cooking woodcutting and tall tales and big talking and boogies barrell house and blues and singing Adding to the French Spanish Anglo Irish German Slavic St. Looie stew Mojospice Hoodoojuice Many mixed Afrikan tribes and the European And the Native American The black lump in the melting pot Razzing white powdered wigged classics like Scott Joplin Rags The A to Z Of the gateway City People Doin dat River City Dance Copyright Chris Hayden 2008 | ||
| Rondall Moderator Username: Rondall Post Number: 101 Registered: 01-2004 Rating: N/A |
So Elegba says to me, listen...and the Chrishayden spoke. Nice contribution sir, flowed like rain water. And it is still early in the month...more, more, more | ||
| Cynique "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Cynique Post Number: 12034 Registered: 01-2004 Rating: N/A |
What better way to follow an epic poem than a hailku one? Here's mine: race intersects the campaign her fast and him black  | ||
| Rondall Moderator Username: Rondall Post Number: 103 Registered: 01-2004 Rating: N/A |
Nice Cynique...I like the crossroads/elegba tie in...you did mean to that, right? | ||
| Cynique "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Cynique Post Number: 12039 Registered: 01-2004 Rating: N/A |
What does "elegba" mean, Rondall? My intent was to give the word "race" 2 meanings. | ||
| Rondall Moderator Username: Rondall Post Number: 106 Registered: 01-2004 Rating: N/A |
Elegba or Elegua: One the original West African orishas or "gods" brought over during the diaspora. Known as the messenger, he stands at the crossroads listening so that he may interceed. Sorry about the confusion Miss C. | ||
| Cynique "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Cynique Post Number: 12041 Registered: 01-2004 Rating: N/A |
Thank you for filling me in, Rondell. When I think of the cross roads, I'm always reminded of Robert Johnson, the black blues legend who was said to have gone to the cross roads where he met the devil and sold his soul to him in exchange for becoming the fantastic guitarist that he was, supposedly able to play his instrument the way a person played a piano. | ||
| Rondall Moderator Username: Rondall Post Number: 107 Registered: 01-2004 Rating: N/A |
Interesting story and I know it well (I love me some Robert Johnson). By the way, the reason the reference to crossroads is similar to that story is because Europeans have equated the entity of Elegba or Elegua as being equivalent to the devil. Hence, in practice he is also known as the orisha of mischief. (And no, really he is NOT Satan: see wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eleggua ) Much love to Cynique...much love indeed | ||
| Cynique "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Cynique Post Number: 12042 Registered: 01-2004 Rating: N/A |
I am terrible with names. Sorry I spelled yours wrong, "RONDALL"!  | ||
| Rondall Moderator Username: Rondall Post Number: 108 Registered: 01-2004 Rating: N/A |
I noticed the errrrrr...no big deal I still love ya like a rock! |
