You give into memory
1943 you marry
Handsome boy
A navy man
He go off to fight Japan
You stay home
Give birth to Larry
Then three years of lonely waitin'
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
Her 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
Shoulder
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 men sit in that union
He get drunk
He scared
He angry
Feeling hopeless, I suppose
He hit you
Just once
He break you nose
Larry is a gentle baby
Emmie fussy, never sleep
He get 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
God, whose eye's on the sparrow (and swallow)
Please, make Emmie go to bed
Folks will 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, digging sewers)
Please give me a mop and bucket
Please, some white folks' house to tend
Please some money
Feed my 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, ever hit me again
Larry, Emmie, Jackie, Joe
Other men find work
He don't
Change come fast
And change come 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 (even now)
Your hand can summon (your hand can summon)
What it like (what it like)
To beat his face in (what it like)
What his back feel like (feel like)
His kiss (his kiss)
Even now (even now)
Your scar hand miss
The handsome boy (feel like)
The navy man (feel like)
Sorrow bleed you!
Where is he?
Where is he? (You are 16, 16)
Where is he? (16, 16, 16)
Caroline?