41

A

her father's gr

in the family,

ake distinctions

ocial worlds.

embering that

e niggers, Est

an who has a s

e is near white, And that her fat

k who drift in

r a sweet-natured, Accommodatin

em. She thinks

them. I wonde

he had with a lit

. It had ended

ld her that for

op. She remembe

who wanted to

rst night he w

ver came back, Having found o

image gives her

it by telling her

ally so. Best c

42

TH

he state, in the

st man with his

h a razor. Pro

lored fairs. Va

he women for m

decides that sh

nse of life sli

will tell him so

ime he comes to

resolution whi

for her to tuck

leep upon, she

years. Her hair

ilk on puny cor

s the color of t

dead cotto

s twenty

rd and snuff an

t drift in her

s hardly see

change. Her b

43

A

inst the counter, Too weary to s

Barlo has come

indow, driving

e veers to the

made money on

as rich as anyo

te. She goes t

stance, the cent

She hears the d

he sun swings

flame again.

d white girl p

wishes that sh

she has no need

ty, with get-up

th that wish. S

e you restless.

y being move

. Just set my m

t comes to her

going men will

rpose is not d

to think of it.

arms around hi

44

th

TH

As if her veins

outhern shanti

Dead dreams,

carried upward

They shant hav

if it kills me

lutter, she clo

olks lazing on

t on earth can b

, as she passes

lways was a lit

s her own room, And locks the

d with ba

e of the town

her departure, Esther slips in

everyone is so

e thing that co

l wind came up

g, but to her it i

cold. She wants

, contained, and

. She will not

45

A

iar phosphoresce

es. Their move

ng too, the rece

she knows so

. She closes her

Wont do. Her b

recalls her purp

f it. She opens

serted business

anopies and mu

posts bring he

s of the comm

stride with he

d the echoes o

re rhythmicall

ing the street

ion shop, she

dull flame. On

Then runs. A t

r abruptly to Na

at and dark. It

. Quietly she o

in. She passes

efore a flight

voices, muffled

46

TH

resh tobacco sm

to turn back.

he were mounti

spins. She is v

es to her eyes

is in a large r

e h

oly damned —

ught you here,

a

ice sounds li

alls homeward

s aw

M

you

lace fer y. Thi

r

ow. But I've

e for

look deep and

s slow at unde

s break out fro

e woman's voi

ctie niggers do

m credit fo

47

A

hear. Barlo

ed. She sees a

r, working upwa

. Barlo seem

uddenly, that c

st be a mighty

Like a somnamb

ks stiffly to

hoots pelter b

no air, no street, And the tow

48

VER

an of Souls, D

assava, Yielding to new

-faced sar

s, c

houts h

4

IT IN

agots, Lips — old scars, or the first red blisters, Breath — th

flesh aft

50

BURNIN

keleton stone

oor boards and

ar cotton factory, Dusk came.

ike a fired pin

t door and sof

ligned along the

he full moon in

Negro women i

t its

she came over t

ite folks' kitch

leaves on young

irm and up-poi

singing had th

ees. Bob Stone,

worked for, l

eckons things,

that warm glow

ought of him,