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Grown folks’ stories Lyrics by Jacqueline Woodson

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Warm autumn night with the crickets crying
the smell of pine coming soft on the wind
and the women
on the porch, quilts across their laps,
Aunt Lucinda, Miss Bell and whatever neighbor
has a breath or two left at the end of the day
for sitting and running our mouths.
That's when we listen
to the grown folks talking.
Hope, Dell and me sitting quiet on the stairs.
We know one word from us will bring a hush
upon the women, my grandmother's finger suddenly
pointing towards the house, her soft spoken
I think it's time for you kids to go to bed now ushering
us into our room. So we are silent, our backs against
posts and the back of the stairs, Hope's elbows
on his knees, head down. Now is when we learn
everything
there is to know
about the people down the road and
in the daywork houses,
about the Sisters at the Kingdom Hall
and the faraway relatives we rarely see.
Long after the stories are told, I remember them,
whisper them back to Hope
and Dell late into the night:
She's the one who left Nicholtown in the daytime
the one Grandmama says wasn't afraid
of anything. Retelling each story.
Making up what I didn't understand
or missed when voices drop too low, I talk
until my sister and brother's soft breaths tell me
they've fallen
asleep.
Then I let the stories live
inside my head, again and again
until the real world fades back
into cricket lullabies
and my own dreams.
Credits
Jacqueline Woodson

Jacqueline Woodson

About “Grown folks’ stories” by Jacqueline Woodson

Read the complete lyrics to "Grown folks’ stories" by Jacqueline Woodson. On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Non-Music, Literature.

"Grown folks’ stories" is performed by Jacqueline Woodson. This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "Grown folks’ stories", explore more songs by Jacqueline Woodson using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

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"Grown folks’ stories" is credited to Jacqueline Woodson. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

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