From the Book - First U.S. edition.
The pledge. It is once again the summer of my discontent and this is how we do it ; How can black people write about flowers at a time like this ; Watching a fight at the New Haven Dog Park, first two dogs and then their owners ; The ghost of Marvin Gaye plays the dozens with the pop charts ; Welcome to heartbeat ; I tend to think forgiveness looks the way it does in the movies ; How can black people write about flowers at a time like this ; Its not like Nikola Tesla knew all of those people were going to die ; You about to tell her you love her, we off that ; One side of an interview with the ghost of Marvin Gaye ; How can black people write about flowers at a time like this ; It is maybe time to admit that Michael Jordan definitely pushed off ; Glamour on the west streets / silver over everything ; The ghost of Marvin Gaye stands over his father's grave and forgets to ask for an apology ; And just like that, I part ways with the only thing I won in the divorce ; How can black people write about flowers at a time like this ; The old head gives bad advice while a man sits with a gun --
The turn. I would ask you to reconsider the idea that things are as bad as they've ever been ; How can black people write about flowers at a time like this ; For the dogs who barked at me on the sidewalks in Connecticut ; How can black people write about flowers at a time like this ; None of my vices are violent enough to undo remembering ; The ghost of Marvin Gaye sits in the ruins of the old Livingston Flea Market and considers monogamy ; How can black people write about flowers at a time like this ; I tend to think forgiveness looks the way it does in the movies ; It's not like Nikola Tesla know all of those people were going to die ; How can black people write about flowers at a time like this ; The ghost of Marvin Gaye puts a seashell to his ear and hears a moan from the last woman he loved ; Man it's so hard to not act reckless ; How can black people write about flowers at a time like this ; It occurs to me that I am loved most for the things I refuse --
The Prestige. Lights out tonight, trouble in the heartland ; No diggity ; The ghost of Marvin Gaye mistakes a record store for a graveyard ; None of my black friends want to listen to don't stop believin' ; How can black people write about flowers at a time like this ; It's not like Nikola Tesla knew all of those people were going to die ; What a miracle that our parents had us when they could have gotten a puppy instead ; Women and children and the children first and the children ; How can black people write about flowers at a time like this ; The ghost of Marvin Gaye leans into a wall outside the 7-Eleven and tells you the story of how he broke your mama's heart real good ; It is an entirely different thing to walk into the river with stones ; How can black people write about flowers at a time like this ; Love your niggas ; How can black people write about flowers at a time like this ; The ghost of Marvin Gaye sits inside the shell of Nikola Tesla's machine and builds himself a proper coffin ; The prestige.