“One Thing I Don’t Need/Sorry” poem by Ntozake Shange

No time for anything and definitely not in the mood those days, I’m coming back slowly to LIFE with a Ntozake Shange poem.

If you don’t know the woman, she’s responsible for the play written in 1975 “For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When The Rainbow Is Enough“. (A movie taken from the play is about to be released and it features Jill Scott, Mariah Carey  even Janet Jackson)

Enough talk,

Pas le temps de rien et surtout d’humeur à rien ces derniers jours, je reviens doucement à la vie avec un texte de Ntozake Shange, “One Thing I Don’t Need/Sorry”. Pour ceux qui n’avaient jamais entendu parler de cette femme, elle est l’auteure de la pièce “For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When The Rainbow Is Enough” (1975)  (l’adaptation cinéma est actuellement en post-prod avec au casting Jill Scott, Mariah Carey ou encore Janet Jackson)

Trop de blabla,

one thing i don’t need
is any more apologies
i got sorry greetin me at my front door
you can keep yrs
i don’t know what to do wit em
they dont open doors
or bring the sun back
they dont make me happy
or get a mornin paper
didnt nobody stop usin my tears to wash cars
cuz a sorry

i am simply tired
of collectin
i didnt know
i was so important toyou
i’m gonna haveta throw some away
i cant get to the clothes in my closet
for alla the sorries
i’m gonna tack a sign to my door
leave a message by the phone
‘if you called
to say yr sorry
call somebody
else
i dont use em anymore’
i let sorry/ didnt meanta/ & how could i know about that
take a walk down a dark & musty street in brooklyn
i’m gonna do exactly what i want to
& i wont be sorry for none of it
letta sorry soothe yr soul/ i’m gonna soothe mine

you were always inconsistent
doin somethin & then bein sorry
beatin my heart to death
talkin bout you sorry
well
i will not call
i’m not goin to be nice
i will raise my voice
& scream & holler
& break things & race the engine
& tell all yr secrets bout yrself to yr face
& i will list in detail everyone of my wonderful lovers
& their ways
i will play oliver lake
loud
& i wont be sorry for none of it

i loved you on purpose
i was open on purpose
i still crave vulnerability & close talk
& i’m not even sorry bout you bein sorry
you can carry all the guilt & grime ya wanna
just dont give it to me
i cant use another sorry
next time
you should admit
you’re mean/ low-down/ triflin/ & no count straight out
steada bein sorry alla the time
enjoy bein yrself