For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enuf

Read this in the early 1980s when I was attending a university in my early 20s. About 20 years later, I had a book purge sale in a moment of simplifying. Now in 2023, this is one of only 4 unrelated titles that I remember as deeply moving, and I regret no longer having it my home library. For it to still be sold, with new cover art over time, I can say it is timeless and worth your time to read as informative literature or as poetry.

"For colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf," by Ntozake Shange, debuted on Broadway in 1976. In her introduction to the book version, the author describes the work as "a choreopoem" made up of individual poems that form "a single statement." This work of literature is a powerful exploration of the lives of Black women."For colored girls..." does not have a conventional "plot" or characters. The parts of the choreopoem are performed by characters described as "lady in brown," "lady in white," etc. Together, these women talk about spirituality, violence, female sexuality, music, and the discovery of one's heritage. One particularly moving part of the choreopoem is a tribute to Haitian leader Toussaint L'Ouverture."For colored girls..." is a stunning hybrid of poetry, drama, and feminist theology. It is both tragic and sensuous, with the healing power of ritual. The final scenes contain some of the most powerful words ever written for the theater. If you are interested in African-American literature, women's studies, or 20th century drama, I recommend you read this work.

Shange's imagery is hypnotizing. She immediately creates a realm of intimacy between you, her word, and colored girls. Shange takes you through a personal journey of yourself through the girls.

shange uses the arts of poetry, music and dance to create a spectacular rainbow of beauty,sorrow , joy and pain brought to the reader in a sometimes funny , sometimes serious manner in "laugh but don't laugh" imagery she creates. it's a celebration of life, struggle and woman