Let's Get Together

Tonight is the Gladys Knight that Ida B. Wells enough to let my pen free to deliver a SISTORY that’s as Cole as Natalie Rebecca Lee and Dr. Johnetta B. be “Moore Campbell soup!” said Terry Mcmillan chillin’ dinin’ with Cece Winans by the CCH Pounder set to impress in a Ruth E. Carter dress Sharp like Dee Dee on a Bridge over the untroubled Waters of Ethel and Maxine Butterfly’s McQueen Latifah’s a dream Anita Baker to make Phillis’ Wheatley cake maybe Josephine could Battle beside Kathleen as a team now wouldn’t that be mean Leontyne’s Price was so nice it cooled a heated Alice Parker becoming a Walker in Rosa’s purple colored Parks hearts met by a pause Claudette Colvin 15 years golden already down for the cause out sparks Dominique Dawes pretty as a Ruby Dee-fying all laws of gravity told me she would go see Lola Falana Tamara and Toni Toni Toni “that’s Morrison, Braxton and Cade Bambara” or a Carroll sung by grand Diahann and after she’s done Nancy, Cassandra and Mary Wilsons are shining bright together they might reach a Height Dorothy Dandridge couldn’t manage I’m a stubborn kinda fella to tell a Tammi Terrell or Ella rejoice in the Church of the Fitzgeralded angel singing I know why a caged bird flies higher on Mary Mcleod #9 ask Dr. Maya Angelou who knew to recite divine rhyme for the mind is it a crime to say to Sade Adu ‘til life Erykah Badu us part? well on and on it must start in the musical home of Sylvia Rhone then spill to Jill revealin’ H.E.R. Hazel Scott free poems givin’ me the chills speaking of home with the feeling of Stephanie Mills she said she never knew love like this before but I sure miss a Phylicia Rashad being a Goddess to a man Angela and Viola Davis will take me there faster than Mavis Staples can since we’re on the topic of Carol Speed watch Julie Dash on strong from DePasse of Suzanne’s baton I tried to warn her that Jackie Marjorie Florence Griffith then Gwen Torrence would Joyner she didn’t hear me Shelly Ann Fraser Pryce told everybody TWICE “ya can’t get near mi” Allyson Felix and Sandra Patrick are cat-quick Marion is the only Jones y’all ain’t keepin’ up with follow the Carmelita the Olympic jet-settin’ Jeter none better Evelyn Ashford and Valerie—nope you thought Simpson but Brisco ran the show in 84’ ain’t no track hard enough for preventin’ the sisters from sprintin’ tough is there any doubt when flightinGail Devers turns it out coming off is Wilma Rudolph pushing the soul pedal down for the gold medal crown she won’t ever be beat now it’s time to eat so I’ll head to the Dinah on Washington upon walking in all I said was “What’s up?” Della touched me like an angel and told me ‘hush up and eat this peanut butter cup” tending bar was a King named Regina serving a Pearl Bailey I drank that daily on the TV a show with Lupita Zendaya Ntozake and Keke it was Octavia’s take on a femalien afrofuture Cathy Hughes and Debra Lee co-producers first run on TV One and BET sending me into saying my Grace I had Shirley Caesar salad Susan L. Taylor made for my palate pure essence Linda Johnson’s ebony Rice plate was great dessert was dope ordered Sommore Melba for the peaches and asked to hold the cantaloupe the renaissance flaunts class and flair after Dr. Mary Frances Halle and Lorraine Hansberry to me I’m out of there it was called a Nice Dream Parlor somewhat similar to a raisin in Marla Gibb’s Sun Althea later tennis anyone love means everything never nothin’ that’s no fun so today I’ll catch a play around the way with Carmen Mcrae, Janelle Monae Lalah Hathaway hey!! here’s the deal I heard Rachelle Ferrell is for real Foxy Brown performing ‘round the Roxie downtown Foxy got a few Pointers from her Sisters Ruth, Ketanji, Hallie Q, Cora Mae Ann Wiggins Marie Van Brittan and Dr. D La Vee after all we are family which was the Sledge pledge okay see Vinette Carroll direct three sets of vignettes on Broadway featuring the multi-facets of Angela Bassett’s talented action from Dr. Betty Shabazz and Tina turnin’ into Katherine Jackson with a Bricktop body Chisholm-ed like Shirley but don’t worry Lenda Murray and Laura Creavalle cold rocked Ms. Olympia’s party well Carla Dunlap’s around those tracks too so tell nothing but the whole Sojourner Truth to the Judge Jane Bolin and as soon as aunt Harriet Byrd gets out the Tubman I’m Esther Rolle’n underground to this fly get together goin’ down I ain’t misbehavin’ all smiles invited by Simone to the gymnasium because of her signature styles her mama Nina brought four women to accompany, you know why? Whitney’s in Houston, Naomi’s in Osaka, Yara’s in Shahidi and all Summer long gone was Donna in Bahama(dia) Whoopi! in order for Pam Grier to get here Oleta of all Sista Souljahs I told her to keep the Cash Brewin’ in Rosalind’s CEO stash and that should probably hold us I just hope I don’t forget McKee Lonette’s gonna sparkle with sweat because she feels me no time for that so I stopped at McDaniel’s Hattie shack to pick up a brim then I was gone with the wind a moment before we stepped in the Dorothy Lee Bolden ‘nuff to open it up I rang Patti’s Labelle she sang “Jessye Norman, chile is that you?” ‘no ma’am it’s me and the Collins crew Janet, Marva and Cardiss! could you let this Edelman in so we can start this Marian party Wright This “Nubian Revue World” was hosted by Nikole Hanna Sissieretta Martha and the rest of The Jones Girls this was a Rapsody in Blacque packed from front to back dedicated to divas of dance, song, spoken word and act modern jazz, hip hop, blues, R&B, TLC in Beautiful BlacQueenery scenery in the foyer Verda Welcomed me in I spotted Evelyn King my ex-girlfriend the day we broke up shame she started drinking Champagne which became her middle name I said the way I feel about you will never cease I asked her to forget me not then that reminded me to call Patrice she’s always Rushen trying to arrive already missed this movie that started at five heard it was live the acting was fantastic of course Jaki Brown and Robi Reed cast it Effie O’ Neal and Evelyn Ellis and Ethel Llewellyn Ennis were in this triple feature about a physician, an actress and jazz bandleader story was written by Rita Dove the one we all know and love at one table I saw Ananda talking talk shows with Iyanla who was preaching the gospel to Yolanda who was singing the gospel to Ms. Smith not Emma Azalia but the bass player Rhonda the First Ladies on stage couldn’t be M.Obama Issa group called DuVernay RAAE featuring Rihanna Ava Andra and Esperanza all Rhimes ghostwritten by Shonda on the other side of the club was ultra Mo’ Nique Ma Rainey and Moms Mabley crackin’ jokes actin’ crazy I’m trying to keep a straight face from this political paper that Fannie Lou Hamer gave me it read that Mariah could Kerry Washington if the pac was backed by Stacy Ms. Abrams I met three inventors Sarah Goode Patricia Bath and Mary Kenner America’s Top Blacque supermodel was next Beverly Naomi Pat Tyra Iman and Alek Wek Lorde have Audre wow it was like a Brandy store with me as the child Diana Ross upside she turned me but gave me love respectfully as usual Eartha Haddish Kitt-catwoman suit talkin’ ‘bout “rrrraaawwrrll” somethin’ like that it was silly of me to think Vanessa and Deniece Williams wouldn’t show up and it’s gonna take a miracle for Da Brat to grow up bouncin’ up and down like a Yo-Yo on stage threw a temper tantrum meaner than Queen Mother Lady Of Rage wearing braided afro puffs Miki Howard showered our souls with some Mahalia Jackson stuff miss Janet’s six pack was lookin’ tough from across the room she blew a kiss I thought out loud “heaven must be like this” the music was Betty Wright couldn’t be hotter gettin’ it ready for the Betty named Carter Nell’s fingers sailed over an Amandla Stenberg grand there was this acapella versin’ by Lena Waithe and Zora Neale Hurston Sarah Vaughan scattin’ while Misty was on pointe Aretha Franklin sounded so funky it was stankin’ in the joint and I mean stinkin’ Abbey Lincoln was no joke either Patra got down with Cleo Brown beside Miriam Makeba Geri and dancin’ Debbie Allen were freestylin’ in a Minaj mirage with Meg Thee Stallion by the piano Adele Addison had us in a state of shocking soprano straight from the metropolitan Oprah Gwendolyn Brooks bell hooks Amanda Gorman Sonia Sanchez and Nikki Giovanni ciphered a poetry Floetry Chaka Khantemporary urban verbin’ the Roberta Flack-ground had Lena on Horne you wouldn’t believe Dianne Reeves and all the tickled ivory of Alicia’s Keys oBlige to say Mary J. could’ve sang all day speechless the whole experience had me……. Beyonce’ Sheila E. and Teri Lynne thumpin’ on drum skin Bobbi Humphrey floatin’ the flute acapello Me’Shell played an N’degeocello muddy and mellow Sister Rosetta Tharpe hello! was takin’ Karen Charlotta Bass the mood was fine when Phyllis Hyman gave us a taste I heard Minnie Riperton octave singin’ heart out Emotions all over her wonderful face this memory lane is something my brain could never erase however it did get ridiculous I had to leave the place folks were in there gossiping talkin about Laila Ali Cicely Tyson Eleanor Holmes Norton and Dr. Njema Frazier were in there fighting that was bound to happen since they saw me rappin’ to a Madame named CJ offered to Walker home she offered to ‘straighten me out’ later on with her hot comb I had a mind like it was Millie Jackson and Lil’ Kim designed anyway March 26 being Sistory Holliday Jennifer and Billie really wanted to build with Claressa Shields headed to Kim Fields on Lauryn Hill to play some ball all I can say is Dawn Staley’s assists are on daily she will steal a pill or two like Cheryl Miller would do the court killer from USC I see Zaila ballin’ harder than Candace Parker scribblin’ Sistory on her spelling card dribblin’ playin’ her position startin’ at Avant-garde Z around the back breakin’ the ankles and the knees of Pam, Paula even Vonetta McGee the best be Leslie Lisa with Teresa Edwards on the same team but if Woodard could get Alfre to Lynette throw a no-look near the hooper Cynthia Cooper to “Sheryl the Swooper” that could be a dream team II the boards and the floor belong to Maya Moore the Wilson rock A’ja pops owes homage to her open door she’s sportin’ the new air Barbara Jordans Ruthie Bolton Diggin high in the Skylar like Janet Bragg, Bessie Coleman and Willa Brown you say who are they? only the top Black aviatresses flying around now it can be arranged for us to face outer space to the moon Alice Childress courtesy of Dr. Mae Jemison and if she lonely and needs a homie to play tennis on planet Venus it’s in the newest Serena pointing gaming setting and matching you without losing easily next day written in the paper by Delilah Leontium Beasley as is the comic strip called Luther it’s a trip Barbara Brandon illustrated the clips in syndication which meant every Sunday morning people everywhere were laughing all over this nation so let’s enjoy this celebration from the elegant steps of Judith Jamison to Katherine Dunham and Surya Bonaly those controversial ice skating championships we know she won ‘em Tia and Tamera Mowry are simply the sweetest can never be sourly only powerly they’ve got just enough Salt-N-Pepa sprinkled together like Loretta Coretta and Etta a Devine King James thing making it feel as real as Mara Akil because it’s costly to live En Vogue in the MC Lyte even elected a Madame VP Kamala Harris in a time so right let’s Freda Payne and continue the fight