Alice Walker
The Color Purple (letter 2 of 90)
DEAR GOD,
My mama dead. She die screaming and cussing. She scream at me. She cuss at me. I’m big. I can’t move fast enough. By
time I git back from the well, the water be warm. By time I git the tray ready the food be cold. By time I git all the children
ready for school it be dinner time. He don’t say nothing. He set there by the bed holding her hand an cryin, talking bout
don’t leave me, don’t go.
She ast me bout the first one Whose it is? I say God’s. I don’t know no other man or what else to say. When I start to hurt
and then my stomach start moving and then that little baby come out my pussy chewing on it fist you could have knock
me over with a feather.
Don’t nobody come see us.
She got sicker an sicker.
Finally she ast Where it is?
I say God took it.
He took it. He took it while I was sleeping. Kilt it out there in the woods. Kill this one too, if he can.