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Because there was no rain in her vicinity Because people kept asking her questions Because nobody ever asked her anything Because marriage robbed her of her mother Because she lost her daughters to the same tradition Because her son laughed when she opened her mouth Because he never delighted in anything she said Because romance carried the rose inside a fist Because she hungered for the fragrance of the rose Because the jewels of her life did not belong to her Because the glow of gold and silk disguised her soul Because nothing she could say could change the melted music of her space Because the privilege of her misery was something she could not disgrace Because no one could imagine reasons for her grief Because her grief required no imagination Because it was raining outside the palace Because there was no rain in her vicinity Dedicated to the Empress Michiko and to Janice Mirikitani 
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Excerpted from Kissing God Goodbye by June Jordan. Copyright © 1997 by June Jordan. Excerpted by permission of Doubleday, a division of Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher. |
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