Nigra Sum Sed Formosa: A Fantasia on Microaggressions
Nigra sum, sed formosa filiae Jerusalem
nolite me considere quod fusca sim,
quia decoloravit me sol.
sicut tabernacula cedar,
sicut pelles Salomonis.
(I am black but beautiful, O daughters of Jerusalem,
do not look down on me though I am dark,
because the sun has darkened my skin.
like the tents of Cedar,
like the curtains of Solomon.)
You are so exotic, I bet you sing spirituals very well.
When you stood, I was shocked, you should play in the NFL,
I’d hate to run into you at night, you should smile more.
Would you open the hall for me? I thought you were the janitor.
When you opened your mouth, I expected to hear “Ol’ Man River.”
It’s not jungle drumming,
Play it like a…
Nigra sum sed formosa.
Composer Jonathan Woody, world premier concert performance April 27, 2019.
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