Rochester from the Jack Benny show,
plus some of the kids on the Little Rascals
were the only black faces I ever saw
but somewhere in my childhood
I was given a little black baby doll
with her hair styled in a hundred braids.
She wore a red flowered dress
had a big smile on her hand sewn face
and sang whenever she had a chance.
I loved my little black, six inch doll.
Hid her away so my brothers wouldn’t
mess with her, took her out to play
when no one else was around and she sang
every time. She liked nursery rhymes
and church songs but especially the new song
the student teacher taught us in third grade,
“The more we get together, the happier we’ll be.”
I remember lying on a wooden cart
just outside my parent’s bedroom window
I didn’t know my mother was taking a nap
while the baby was sleeping,
My brothers had gone with my dad
my sisters went shopping with my cousins
I was by myself with my little baby doll
singing the song over and over again.
My mom shouted through the window
“Will you please be quiet,
and get rid of that filthy thing.”
I was startled by her anger
took off without a word
hid behind the large oak tree
putting the doll under my shirt
then into my room
hiding her in back of the closet
never found her again
but never forgot her
nor the songs she like to sing...
"Your friends will by my friends
and my friends will be your friends
the more we get together, the happier we’ll be."
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