Chapters (33)
- Cover
- Sassafrass, Cypress & Indigo
- Copyright Notice
- Dedication
- Chapter 1
- Chapter 2
- Chapter 3
- Chapter 4
- Chapter 5
- Chapter 6
- Chapter 7
- Chapter 8
- Chapter 9
- Chapter 10
- Chapter 11
- Chapter 12
- Chapter 13
- Chapter 14
- Chapter 15
- Chapter 16
- Chapter 17
- Chapter 18
- Chapter 19
- Chapter 20
- Chapter 21
- Chapter 22
- Chapter 23
- Chapter 24
- Acknowledgments
- Praise
- Also by Ntozake Shange
- About the Author
- Newsletter Sign-up
In slightly spangled tights and apache-dancer skirts, Azure Bosom sashayed through the audience like She who is not only looking, but She who has found an eye to taunt, to tease, to promise heaven in the switch of a hip, and bosom bounce. “How Do She Do” is the coquette Erzulie, introduced to modern lovers unaccustomed to pure pleasure of flesh and spirit combined. This She is not a body in silk panties, but a body in silk panties enjoying being in silk panties and surveyed walking down 125th Street in silk panties with sunlight streaming through her legs. This is She to love bright and quick, and hold like a vapor of a lovely woman walking through the subway train, who passed on to another; but when she was there . . . when she was there, there was all woman ever knew to be. Azure Bosom obviously loved this dance. And there was reason to love the freeing of the coquette from the responsibility of breaking men’s hearts, driving them to compulsive desires and guilt. This She was free of all that, and allowed women to linger in their own eroticism; to be happy with loving themselves. Celine was center front in her own dance. She was the awesome and spry carnal connection to the spirit of infinite giving, the flirt gives so much pleasure to those who know how to receive without taking, and Celine led Azure Bosom’s hips, ass, tits, neck, and mouth right into everyone’s soul. She was doing more than all right; she was doing all she could do to make everyone enjoy her simply being beautiful and ready.
“How Do She Do” grew into a communal “Come Dance with Me.” Azure Bosom pulled folks out of the crowd, onto the stage to be raucous and seduce with women moving. What they wanted in the first place: to be, and share women moving. They worked, and “Vulva Dreams” became real.