Eugene B. Redmond

Choreo-Empress’ Leg-a-cy Lands on East Saint Earth, 2nd Take

(homage to Katherine Dunham, age 90 plus)

#1

( 1967: descent amidst civil rights & black arts movement)

East Saint Earth ferments:

choreo-jazz-opera…

she-maze of Port-au-Princely slinks.

.

 #2

(routes de passage)

O Hambone’s "Minnehaha!"

Katherine’s choreoper-ah!

"Sally Walker" to "L’Ag Ya!"

#3

( 1925 bus ride  recalls east saint louis race riots of 1917) 

Yanvalou lurched past

East Boogie’s pungent memories,

warrior Lovejoy’s Alton.

#4

(joliet, chicago, port au prince)

Lady Diaspora

hurdled AME’s prayer bench,

ball & jack’d Damballah.

#5

(christening of the drumpriestess: Haiti)

Between death & dawn

snakes, stilts & tambourines

chased rum-drunk zombies.

#6

( 1967 #2: dumas/dunham return to east saint earth)

Fox/goddess & Ankh Dumas

orbited Arkansippi,

Blood Island & Cotton Club.

#7

(fleshing dreams & homages at the barr)

Pelvic motors buzzed

Queen’s Court in Milesville, drumscoping

"East Saint Louis Toodle-oo."

#8

(star of dakar domiciles in east boogie)

From tin & wombwood, Mor Thiam,

her Wolof prince/protégé,

fleshed djembe miracle.

#9

(feasts of art & revolution)

O gyral-notations

rioting in Katherine’s

God-spacious girdle.

#10

(reflections:   90th birthday celebration in Milesvile)

Lords of London legs

flew Jesu-Voudoun’s chariot

thru nine decades & change.

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