Some sweet morning
I can’t say when
The sun’s gonna melt my days away
And I’ll flow beside the knowing river
Till the rushing waters take me down
One of these evenings
In the blue black hour
I’ll wane with the moon until I’m dust
But please don’t let me be forgotten
I’m just going back to where I’m from
I was a good girl
That’s what they called me
Pretty in my way if I do tell
All I did was what momma told me
All I knew is what my momma said
Tell the children the kind of girl I was
I could dance a step and sing my songs
I was brown and round and my hair was long
And I’ll still love ‘em even when I’m gone
I had a voice
A rare contralto
The deepest tones of the female range
Some thought it special, some thought it fine
But an ordinary colored girl
Didn’t have a chance
I gave my love
To one man only
A hard working man, that was the prize
Side by side we made a family
No mean doing in the days I seen
All my babies
Pretty as pansies
Black-eyed, washed, fed and loved
Singing and playing, learning and knowing
Praise god from whom the blessings flow
So tell the children the kind of girl I was
I could dance a step and sing my songs
I was brown and round and my hair was long
And I’ll still love ‘em even when I’m gone
My children call me
Blessed mother
I loved their dreams more than my own
Bury my body next to their dear father
But let the rushing river take my soul
Some may see me
Plain and common
Some may find me small and low
I’ve lived my life with quiet purpose
I’m satisfied whatever comes
I can’t say
When I’ll have to leave you
I’m telling my story before he calls
I tried to love despite the troubles
I tried to live the best I know
Just please don’t let me be forgotten
I could dance a step and sing my songs
I was brown and round and my hair was long
And I’ll still love you even when I’m gone
I’ll still love you when I’m gone
For many years, Bernardine (Dine) Watson was an executive with a national public policy research organization. She has written papers and articles for major non-profit groups, foundations and news organizations including The Annie E. Casey Foundation, The Ford Foundation, W.W. Kellogg Foundation, and The Washington Post. Watson’s poetry has been published by the Painted Bride Art Center and the DC Humanities Council. Her poem "Annie" won the 2001 Philadelphia Celebration of Black Writing poetry award. She is a member of The DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities The Poet in Progress Program, DC Women Writers of Color and the Ward 4 Arts and Humanities Committee. For the past three summers, Watson has taught poetry writing to adolescent girls at Arts for Our Children, a non-profit organization in Washington, DC.