Harlem Sweeties

Have you dug the spill 
Of Sugar Hill?
Cast your gims
On this sepia thrill: 
Brown sugar lassie, 
Caramel treat, 
Honey-gold baby 
Sweet enough to eat. 
Peach-skinned girlie, 
Coffee and cream, 
Chocolate darling 
Out of a dream. 
Walnut tinted
Or cocoa brown, 
Pomegranate-lipped 
Pride of the town. 
Rich cream-colored 
To plum-tinted black, 
Feminine sweetness 
In Harlem’s no lack. 
Glow of the quince 
To blush of the rose. 
Persimmon bronze 
To cinnamon toes. 
Blackberry cordial, 
Virginia Dare wine—
All those sweet colors 
Flavor Harlem of mine! 
Walnut or cocoa, 
Let me repeat:
Caramel, brown sugar, 
A chocolate treat. 
Molasses taffy,
Coffee and cream, 
Licorice, clove, cinnamon 
To a honey-brown dream. 
Ginger, wine-gold, 
Persimmon, blackberry,
All through the spectrum
Harlem girls vary—
So if you want to know beauty’s 
Rainbow-sweet thrill,
Stroll down luscious,
Delicious, fine Sugar Hill.