(A poem inspired by Nina Simone's "Sinnerman")
The man had the power
of his motor
and he ran it over
the same patch
of grass forty or fifty
times. The woman
had the power of her
music, and she played it over
eighty or ninety times.
He ran his mower
over cement. She played the music
at its greatest decibel. He ran
his mower in circles
and back and forth, he mowed the streets,
he thought he saw
grass there, he could not leave
the middle of the road,
he did not know
why he could not leave.
Go to the devil, he said
Go to the devil, she said
Run it to the devil, she said
Raise it to the heaven, she said
Go to the devil, he said
Go to the devil, he said
Go to the devil, he said
This is mine, he said
This is mine, he said
Go to yourself, she said
Go to yourself, she said
Go to yourself, she said
This is mine, too, she said
This is mine, too, she said
Power : Power
He fell asleep - POWer
She cried - POWer
He snored - POWer
She sighed - POWer
For his land - POWer
For her right – POWer
POW-er, POW-er:
She ran her radio
on repeat again
and again, again; she filled the space,
she thought she heard life
there, she thought she knew why
she would not leave.
The man got stuck
on the edge of his own
driveway and he did not know
where he was. The woman got stuck on the step
of her parents’ porch
and knew just where
she was, she was waiting for him
to turn it off. He was waiting for her
to turn it down:
he ran out of gas, she ran
out of batteries.
Go to the devil, he said
Go to the devil, she said
Run it to the devil, she said
Raise it to the heaven, she said
Go to the devil, he said
Go to the devil, he said
Go to the devil, he said
This is mine, he said
This is mine, he said
Go to yourself, she said
Go to yourself, she said
Go to yourself, she said
This is mine, too, she said
This is mine, too, she said
Power : Power
He fell asleep - POWer
She cried - POWer
He snored - POWer
She sighed - POWer
For his land - POWer
For her right – POWer
POW-er, POW-er:
He moved the mower
without an engine. She heard the music
without a player. He drove it
home, she sang it loud.
He didn’t know
his machine; she didn’t know
her machine. He cut the grass
down low, she raised the sound
so high: To the earth, To the sky.
Beat ‘em down, Raise ‘em up
Power : Power
He was feeble with age
She was fiery with youth
He was demented
She was touched
He ran it ‘til he ran himself
down to his knees, she raised it up
‘til she raised herself
up through the trees.
(CHORUS)
Go to the devil, he said
Go to the devil, she said
Run it to the devil, she said
Raise it to the heaven, she said
Go to the devil, he said
Go to the devil, he said
Go to the devil, he said
This is mine, he said
This is mine, he said
Go to yourself, she said
Go to yourself, she said
Go to yourself, she said
This is mine, too, she said
This is mine, too, she said
Power : Power
He fell asleep - POWer
She cried - POWer
He snored - POWer
She sighed - POWer
For his land - POWer
For her right – POWer
POW-er, POW-er:
(BRIDGE)
The refusal to leave
The voice against the machine
The birds to her side
The worms at his feet
They can never agree,
They can never leave
(CHORUS)
Go to the devil, he said
(CHORUS)
Go to the devil, he said
Go to the devil, she said
Run it to the devil, she said
Raise it to the heaven, she said
Go to the devil, he said
Go to the devil, he said
Go to the devil, he said
This is mine, he said
This is mine, he said
Go to yourself, she said
Go to yourself, she said
Go to yourself, she said
This is mine, too, she said
This is mine, too, she said
Power : Power
He fell asleep - POWer
She cried - POWer
He snored - POWer
She sighed - POWer
For his land - POWer
For her right – POWer
POW-er, POW-er:
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