Peggy Dreams
On the Naming Day ceremony
my parents named me
Mariama, "Gift of God."
My parents calling
"Mariama! Mariama"
sings on in me.
Hand-painted box
This box was created for and originally given to Bryan's friend and fellow Cooper Union student Eva Brussel [Mason]. He made it while stationed in France during and immediately following World War II.
Six sketches of the Dancing Granny
The Dancing Granny is the story of Granny Anika, who can’t resist dancing when Spider Ananse sings his songs. Once he gets Granny dancing, he uses his sway over her to steal the vegetables growing in her garden. However, Granny gets her revenge when she pulls Spider to her with her hoe and makes him her dancing partner.
Dressing the Loom
Before the sun, Aneesa rises
To quickly dress herself
And dress the loom
That crowds her tiny room.
Letter W: poetry by Mari Evans [preliminary version]
Who
Can be born black
and not
sing
the wonder of it
the joy
the
challenge
Who
can be born
black
and not exult!
Letter Q: poetry by Maya Angelou [preliminary version]
My hair, a hive of honey bees.
Is a Queenly glory
Crackles like castanets
Hums like marimbas
Sarah Bryan
Sarah Bryan was Ashley Bryan’s beloved grandmother on his father’s side. There are many drawings of her in the Ashley Bryan Archive.