bambara - loretta
[verse 1]
“jake saint lived his life like his namesake”
his wife, mae, eulogized with a laugh
after the wake, she pried open his suitcase
found a knife and a stash of women’s photographs
typists with their lipstick kissed off
fingers and thumbs, like guns, pressed to their temples
said to her daughter, loretta
“if there’s anything you’ll miss, grab it”
hit a storm going towards marietta
high beams on the sleet made sheets of tv static
like night signed off till the morning broadcast
mae said, “you’re gonna stay a whilе in your uncle’s attic”
[verse 2]
the basket by thе cot made her think
of catching pink petals as they fell to the grass
she scanned the town from the small round window
found the cherry blossom by the laundromat
and through the naked limbs she saw the church steeple
felt like god was peeking through the attic peephole
[verse 3]
that night she heard a hiss, a low voice whispering
felt the thrill she gets when the highway dips
pinpr_cks of mist on her sunburned skin
even with her jaw clenched, his words shaped her lips
saying, “lift you voice to me with the noise of sin
your mouth was made for worshipping”
[verse 4]
she joined the choir and sang staring at a martyr’s painting
flayed and swathed in the flag of his skin
one day, a boy drew her gaze to the stage
as he kissed a twisting snake all mad and rattling
saying, “sing his praise, for i ain’t crazed by no fever
you see, they got no taste for a true believer”
[verse 5]
that fall, she spent her nights with the boy
at the drive_in or lost in the fog of the woods
when she told him she could hear god’s voice, he said
“loretta, you know better, this ain’t hollywood
the silver screen’s been leaking into your thinking”
and she kissed him hard to keep the voice from screaming
she said, “i told my secret. you’re next”
his smile screwed up tight like a wince
“truth is i keep my rattlers toothless
they have a hard time biting with their fangs missing
now listen, i’m still one of god’s children
but with pops locked up it’s tough to make a living”
[bridge]
one night, through snow_covered lashes
he looked at her with a sudden sadness and said
“let’s enjoy this season. come spring, i’m leaving. alone”
[verse 6]
she cried when she saw a flock of birds returning home
they kissed goodbye, and he climbed in his truck
she plucked pink petals from his hair as the engine started up
he said, “i’ll find you in the next life”
[verse 7]
soon, her lips pulled back to whisper
“child, there’s a lesson in this. forget the boy, prove your love to me”
she disappeared in the evergreens
(“i’ll find you in the next life”)
next day, mae searched the woods with her brother
and past the creek, under canopy cover
where a boulder loomed with its ancient wound
loretta lay in azalea blooms
(“i’ll find you in the next life”)
the sun cut through the shade and brought a glow to her face
igniting the violet shine of her open eyes
her neck, a mess of snakebites and flies
[outro]
the morning gazette read
“cleopatra of marietta: the tragic death of choirgirl, loretta
her voice will live on in us forever”
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