here i am
lounging at mabels
plate of grits on the table
lightly salted and buttered
bacon and biscuits on the side
now i am sho nuff proud
of fighting for my country
but truth be told
right now
all i want to do is hide
dear president truman
hello
you dont know me
but i am a mello fellow
im ready to rejoin the army
but before some german soldier
harms me
i would like you to take a moment or two
this war i know is a mighty fine mess
you cant undo
but i would like to kiss my baby
one last time before i bid her adieu
my sweet little lady
her name is sadie
and mr president she is so classy and fine
and before i am shipped back over
i dont want to skip over
sharing her kisses one last time
last night i had a dream
of three babies cryin
madam zemelda dream book
says that means its a time for dyin
now i dont know if that true
but just in case
i played boxed and straight
the number 232
down on lenox avenue
snow is falling
at mintons and the 3 deuces
the bandstands are bare
but bird and miles could be playin
the room could be swayin
but i wouldnt really care
just so you know mr president
right now harlem is quiet
aint no riots
going on except the one in my heart
i aint trying to be contrary
just feel its kinda necessary
i need only 3 more days with my baby
before i depart
you see sir
we fittin to get married
i dont mean to sound harried
but could you sent out a call
to hitler and tell him
for a few days stop his march
i know what im asking is a sin
being as though them bad men
are smokin cigs under the french arch
mr truman
im not assuming
i know love is blooming
way up here uptown
and i dont want my baby to remember
a letter stamped return to sender
because her man aint no longer around
now i want to live
but im prepared to die
for my country
and colored folks liberty
but can i at least insist
on sharing with my baby
one last kiss
before i step back into that european anarchy
now mr president
far as i can tell
up here i aint neva seen
no wishing well
fact is
right now i wish i had a 5th of muscatel
because maybe if i was drinkin
i wouldnt be thinkin
of dyin before i have the chance
to marry my harlem belle
All Poetry by D.Greaves/Darwin Greaves by D.Greaves-Darwin Greaves is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at dgreaves.posterous.com.
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