sassymae

Now I know some of you know Sassy Mae.. or you were
Sassy Mae when you were growing up down south..and
won't let anyone know.... or.. Sassy Mae was your
woman..and she dared you to tell anyone. Please enjoy
the Sassy Mae series of poems. - Andrew/Ebonypoet

ONE

Sassy Mae

Sassy Mae done got some shoes,
Sassy Mae done got a comb.
Sadday nite is jest round the corner,
Sassy Mae won't be home alone.

Sassy Mae done got a new skirt,
A white blouse to go with dat.
Sassy Mae done gone strutting y'all,
Wearing Miz Jimmi's homemade hat.
Sassy Mae combed her hair,
Washed her shoes off too.
Put some grease on the skinny legs,
Gurl so bowlegged she didn't know what to do.

Sassy Mae is rocking the place,
The boys will be along soon.
If they only knew what Sassy Mae got on her mind,
Dem boys heading for their doom.

Go on Sassy Mae.....................................

THREE

Amos

Amos lived on the river bottom too,
Back across the fields by that oak tree.
The boy had been to N'awlins and got some
schooling,
And came back as a man.

Times were hard then.
The river bottom was not a good place to
be.
We owned all the land down yonder,
But the white folks wanted it all.

Several times they had come round looking,
And everytime I told them no.
They needed convincing the last time they
came,
Had my hand on that trigger just in case.

Now Sassy Mae kept on coming,
Could see them new shoes she got last
week.
I hear Amos out cutting some wood,
He ain't got time for this.

That boy needs him a good woman,
One from Louisanne that can cook and sew.
Don't need no Sassy Mae Armstrong in his
life,
But he don't know that yet.

Yeah, trouble coming down that road,
The only one that goes to town.
They'll be looking for her all night,
And I will too!

TWO

Town Road

Big mama sat on the porch,
Apron tied round her like always.
Had this old straw broom leaning on the way,
She didn't too much care for cats.

She had been on this ole river bottom for years,
In fact had been all her life.
Was there when the depression of 29 hit,
She and papa helped feed them all.

She picked cotton and did it all,
Raised some kids too.
My momma was her prize,
Helped raise all of us.

She sat there this old woman,
Looking at the road that went by the bridge.
Was the only one from town,
And the only one back.

"Ain't nothing good ever come down that road,
And ain't nothing good come back.
I see trouble in the distance",
And she got up to take a peek.

It was Sassy Mae Armstrong coming,
She had a liking to her grandson Amos.
Slid her hand inside to her gun,
Cause she knowed they followed that girl.
Sassy Mae was trouble alright,
Trouble was that girl's name.
Sassy Mae Armstrong was heading this way,
Townroad had brought her here.

FOUR

The Turn Row

Gussie came to the door,
Pushed the screen and walked on out.
Big Mama saw her but said nothing,
Had her eyes on Town Road.

Gussie saw her hand under the apron,
Knew Big Mama had a gun.
Followed her gaze up Town Road,
Saw Sassy Mae just strutting her stuff.

"That chile must be broke again" she said,
"You reckon she is" Mused Gussie.
"As sho as you standing there Gussie"
"Lawd I wonder where she going"

"Ain't no secret to that" said Big Mama,
"She going to see that boy".
Gon be some trouble on this bottom tonite,
Soon as dem white folk know she gone."

Trouble has a funny way of walking,
And you could see it on that chile.
Trouble had a funny way of talking,
You could hear it when she smiled.

"Sassy Mae Armstrong Coming Y'all!"