Donald McKayle, Choreographer
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Saturday's Child

Picture
Premier:  1948, Palmer Auditorium, New London CT
Length:  
Dancers:  Solo for man or woman
Available for Restaging: Yes
Categories:  Solo
Music:  Spoken Text

About Saturday's Child

Originally performed by Donald McKayle

Performer speaks and dances

Poem • Countee Cullen
                           Some are teethed on a silver spoon,
                           With the stars strung for a rattle;
                           I cut my teeth as the black raccoon––
                           For implements of battle.
                           Some are swaddled in silk and down,
                           And heralded by a star;
                           They swathed my limbs in a sack cloth gown
                           On a night that was black as tar.
                           For some, godfather and goddame
                           The opulent fairies be;
                           Dame Poverty gave me my name,
                           And Pain godfathered me.
                           For I was born on Saturday––
                           "Bad time for planting a seed,"
                           Was all my father had to say,
                           And, "One mouth more to feed."
                           Death cut the string which gave me life,
                           And handed me to Sorrow,
                           The only kind of middle wife
                           My folks could beg or borrow.

More Information: info@DonaldMcKayle.com