Ken Jordan Poet Light Verse

Aunt Sue's Story's

Poet: Ken Jordan
Poem: Aunt Sues Story's
Edited by: Sparkle Jordan
written: March/1986

Aunt Sue's story's I hear,
rushing out from the heat
of a sultry night, 
to comfort us 
with grace; 
to rub our
aching shoulders,
 and 
back from the toils 
of a long day -

To strengthen our souls
for the road across her life, 
that crosses and recross 
our own -

And my face lay pressed
to aunt Sue's story's,
listening intently,
like the
dark-faced child;
like the black slaves 
mingling on the banks
of a mighty river -

singing sorrow songs
in the flow 
of
aunt Sue's voice -

I know where
she have been,
and I grow strong -

Langston Hughes, 
said:
"Black people sing
aunt Sue's story's,
cause we have a 
head full of story's."

A whole heart full
of story's -

And ain't Sue's story's
are real story's,
ringing in my ears
like a swing low song -

Cause when
work come's calling;
beckoned by the
hands of dawn,

I whistle and hum
hum and whistle,
while I sweat beneath
the rays of the sun -

I hum and I whistle,
I whistle and hum,
with rhythm,
like the black slaves
did -
grand mama did,
grand daddy did
and my whole family
did -

But black people
go on and on
and on -

and the hum
grows strong.
and the whistle
grows strong -
before the flow 
of aunt Sue's voice,

in the heat of a 
sultry night -

Aunt Sue's story's
I Hear -

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