Does Your House Have Lions?Does Your House Have Lions? explores the life of Sonia Sanchez's brother - a vibrant young man who left the South for New York, immersed himself in the city's gay subculture, and became a victim of AIDS in the first years of the pandemic. Sanchez describes her brother's alienation from his family and his illness and death from AIDS with her characteristic tenderness. Told in the voices of sister, brother, father, mother, and ancestors, it is the story of kin estranged and then finally brought together by their shared history of loss, separation, and pain. This brave epic poem shatters silences surrounding gay sexuality in African-American families and imagines the possibility of reconciliation and love. It offers a meditation on the living meanings of journey, life, and death - an opportunity for all of us to find a way home. |
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Common terms and phrases
African BROTHER ancestor's voice female ancestor's voice male anger ayyyyyy Baba says became betrayal blood breath BROTHER mangi nyo brother's voice children's eyes coming BROTHER mangi corpuscles cough cursed dama buga dance death doctor says dreams echoes fanan MALE look father father's voice FEMALE jamma FEMALE jamma ga FEMALE nyata flesh forgive ga fanan MALE hair harlem heart hello hospital HOUSE HAVE LIONS hurted insinuated itch jamma ga fanan kind of day legs light limbs limp MALE nyata MALE/FEMALE mangi dem masks mmenson moist morning mother necessary to remember nightmare oseee yei praise pray prepared a place Rahsaan rattle remember the sea resident rumor sala maleikum Sanchez sequester single file sister tell sister's voice skin slapped slit smell smile son's body Sonia soul sound southern stool sweet swollen teeth temperature thighs tongue travel to India veins walking want children Wounded