LEVI(RO)TATION :: "For Colored Girls" in a "Colorful World"



On a weekend ride through Maryland, the driver and I marveled at the autumn foliage. The first half of the color spectrum floated, stood proudly and lay all around as a stream of sacred music washed over us from the sound system. Selections by Vicki Yoh'e, whom I hadn't heard much of before, and longtime favorite CeCe Winans were very sweet to our ears and spirits, especially in the 2 MPH traffic! Winans' tune, "Colorful World", and I met in good time for the November 5 release of Tyler Perry's film adaption of the 1974 "choreopoem" for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf by Ntozake Shange.

Although many teens (and adults) out there still suffer the misfortune of angst and circumstances that make suicide an option for them, I am grateful that the pleasure of discovering Shange for myself while just a girl and amazingly creative Grace before & since have a much greater appeal to me: the one who'd worn a non-pierced nose ring to incite and do away with family shock on my own terms almost a year or two before even going under the gun. Years later, I'd wished Erykah Badu and others who also appreciate her artistry had given more credit to the fcg work's major influence on her subtle homage via the "Bag Lady" video. Maybe she'll give its due now that the silver-screen version will undoubtedly encourage more spinoffs. Still, only laughter emerges as I reflect upon how my early but quiet fascination with skin art, vision and freedom of movement must've rocked the boat of my strict upbringing at the very least. When CeCe opened with mention of the "slightly embarrassed", pierced girl and the "cheated, mistreated" boy we all knew, the now calmer waters those memories drifted upon found my soul satisfied.

British writer and educator Walter Pater stated that "The base of all artistic genius is the power of conceiving humanity in a new, striking, rejoicing way, of putting a happy world of its own creation in place of the meaner world of common days, of generating around itself an atmosphere with a novel power of refraction, selecting, transforming, recombining the images it transmits, according to the choice of the imaginative intellect. In exercising this power, painting and poetry have a choice of subject almost unlimited." Say my favorite images or even tunes quickly filled another's artistic arsenal or repertoire. If rightful respect and credit are given, that example of one's foundational influence on another is a healthy and universal part of life on Earth as we continue to mature and evolve into our unique Divine assignments. Anything less is uncivilized.

In my eyes, however, the power and presence of the Almighty Most High is the priceless jewel that every living art, entity and science are but a facet of; all our colors, whether hell-bent on negative depths or inclined to positive heights, are just refractions of that True Light. Questioning whether or not It would shine upon us when and as needed is actually a blinding disease of the mind to be looked away from. To paraphrase both The Fabulous Thunderbirds and Sean Hayes, God's Love is indeed (the most) powerful stuff!

Let's get some as It alone is more than enough,

T*

 Resonant(s)

• "Funky for You" (instrumental) - Nice & Smooth {because Dizzy Gillespie plays the [trumpet] with angels now. R.I.P. legend!}
• "Hey Lookaway" (instrumental) - Questionmark Asylum
• "I Just Want You" - Vicki Yohe
• "Just Like That" - CeCe Winans
• "Love Said Not So" - BeBe & CeCe Winans
• "No Love" (instrumental) - Eminem feat. Lil Wayne [with a smoothly paved Way to the realness]
• "Tru Master" (instrumental) - Pete Rock * AMEN.