Anya Drapkin
“Rain Dance”
Ink & crayon on paper
Response
Piqued on Ashby
By Darice M. Jones
Inspiration Piece
Ayele heard the “bop, bop, bop” of the drums as she drove by
From her inner ear to her base bottom backbone
Those drums reverberated, making her pull her car over quick
She could see the thick veins atop dark chocolate hands that rose just high enough above the skin
Then came down hard and fast
Steady and knowing
“Bop, bop, bop, bop.”
These fitty-le’em shades of boogie brown
Strong folks, mostly men – who didn’t really know each other like that
These bulging biceped Saturday super-heroes
who could do even more than Badu
And c’make you pull your car over
Ayele could not only see them in her minds eye, she could smell them
Frankincense, Myrrh, Black Love, Cocoa and rhythm
Her heart sped up at the thought of rounding the corner and descending the stairs
Today she might have to join the other impromptu amateur dancers, who couldn’t resist the vibe
Today she might have to spend every dollar in her wallet, supporting all the rows of Black vendors
Each with their own “bop, bops” on display
Headwraps, rings,
oils, tees,
red-black-greens,
toothpastes-neem,
incense holders,
Black icon posters,
paintings, masks,
mud cloth bags
Everything Ayele’s soul-space got
She fed to her own little
“Bop, bop, bop.”
Written during Black History Month, In the Year of Stevie Wonder 2021
________________________________
Note: All of the art, writing, and music on this site belongs to the person who created it. Copying or republishing anything you see here without express and written permission from the author or artist is strictly prohibited.