The Peale's Storyteller-in-Residence, Mama Linda Goss, shares stories, poetry, songs, and insights about everything from Earth Day to the untimely death of George Floyd to talking to youth about race and racism.
Mama Linda Goss is the Peale's storyteller-in-residence, as well as a performer in the African diasporic oral tradition. She is a co-founder of the National Association of Black Storytellers, which works to preserve folk traditions. Every month, she shares a poem with the Peale, as part of her collection of stories, "Mama Linda's Chapbook."
Mama Linda Goss (00:00): (singing) My bells are ringing. My soul is singing. I'm the brave singer. I'm a bell-ringer, the truth [wella 00:00:27], the story teller. Baskets are handwoven. Many things we use are handwoven. We as a people, we as a group of sisters or a group of brothers, we're all handwoven. Hand in hand, we help one another. Handwoven, handwoven in praise of sisterhood handwoven. Handwoven in praise of sisterhood.
Mama Linda Goss (01:16): My fingers ache, my shoulders feel as though they were about to break. But the sisters, you sisters, your handwoven words give us strength. Sometimes the sun burns my arms. Sometimes my hands won't stay warm, but sisters, sisters of the word your threads of wisdom gives us guidance. And when we go through things we have to say, hold onto me sweet child. Hold onto me, dear mama. Hold on to me, blessed nana. Hold on to me, my precious sister. I'm talking about four generations: the sister, the child, the mama, and the grandmamma holding on. Holding on, during a storm. Holding on during a peace march. Together we are handwoven. Together we are handwoven.
Mama Linda Goss (02:47): Asante Sana, Asante Sana, I say thank you to Phillis Wheatley. I say thank you to Frances Ellen Watkins Harper. I say thank you to Zora Neale Hurston. I say thank you, Asante Sana to Gwendolyn Brooks. Sisters, sisterhood, sisters of the written word. Sisters of the oral word. Your prose of empowerment gives us courage. Your verses of inspiration gives us hope. Asante Sana, Asante Sana to Maya Angelou. Asante Sana, Asante Sana, to Alice Walker. Asante Sana, Asante Sana to Sonia Sanchez. Asante Sana, Asante Sana to Toni, Toni Morrison. To Toni, Toni Morrison.
Mama Linda Goss (04:03): Together, we are handwoven. Together, we are handwoven. Handwoven together we will walk in prayer, handwoven together we walk in the light. Handwoven together we walk in prayer, handwoven together we walk day and night. We were handwoven in love and truth. We were handwoven in peace and justice. Together, we are handwoven. Together, we are handwoven in the sisterhood. Those who will come after the ancestors, those who will come after the elders, you will be handwoven. Handwoven in praise of our sisters. In praise of the sisters. In praise of sisterhood.
Mama Linda Goss (05:08): Handwoven really is a combination of two poems. The original poem of Handwoven again, was a cancer experience. Going through cancer and writing what you're going through. And I had to endure a lot of pain and a lot of suffering with my cancer because I had surgeries. I had chemo and I had radiation. But I was inspired by so many people. I was inspired by my family, my sister hood, and I was encouraged. And so many people prayed for me, people from all faiths. Some people who weren't believers. Who consider themselves atheists and agnostics, prayed for me.
Asset ID: 2021.02.08.b
Poem Copyright © 2021 by Linda Goss
Find a complete transcript on the Peale's website.
