The Book of American Negro Poetry Part 5

An' de bacon good an' fat, When de chittlins is a-sputter'n'

So's to show you whah dey's at; Tek away yo' sody biscuit, Tek away yo' cake an' pie, Fu' de glory time is comin', An' it's 'proachin' mighty nigh, An' you want to jump an' hollah, Dough you know you'd bettah not, When yo' mammy says de blessin'

An' de co'n pone's hot.

I have hyeahd o' lots o' sermons, An' I've hyeahd o' lots o' prayers, An' I've listened to some singin'

Dat has tuck me up de stairs Of de Glory-Lan' an' set me Jes' below de Mastah's th'one, An' have lef my hea't a-singin'

In a happy aftah tone; But dem wu'ds so sweetly murmured Seem to tech de softes' spot, When my mammy says de blessin', An' de co'n pone's hot.

A DEATH SONG

Lay me down beneaf de willers in de gra.s.s, Whah de branch'll go a-singin' as it pa.s.s An' w'en I's a-layin' low, I kin hyeah it as it go Singin', "Sleep, my honey, tek yo' res' at las'."

Lay me nigh to whah hit meks a little pool, An' de watah stan's so quiet lak an' cool, Whah de little birds in spring, Ust to come an' drink an' sing, An' de chillen waded on dey way to school.

Let me settle w'en my shouldahs draps dey load Nigh enough to hyeah de noises in de road; Fu' I t'ink de las' long res'

Gwine to soothe my sperrit bes'

If I's layin' 'mong de t'ings I's allus knowed.

James Edwin Campbell

NEGRO SERENADE

O, de light-bugs glimmer down de lane, Merlindy! Merlindy!

O, de whip'-will callin' notes ur pain-- Merlindy, O, Merlindy!

O, honey lub, my turkle dub, Doan' you hyuh my bawnjer ringin', While de night-dew falls an' de ho'n owl calls By de ol' ba'n gate Ise singin'.

O, Miss 'Lindy, doan' you hyuh me, chil', Merlindy! Merlindy!

My lub fur you des dribe me wil'-- Merlindy, O, Merlindy!

I'll sing dis night twel broad day-light, Ur bu's' my froat wid tryin', 'Less you come down, Miss 'Lindy Brown, An' stops dis ha't f'um sighin'!

DE CUNJAH MAN

O chillen, run, de Cunjah man, Him mouf ez beeg ez fryin' pan, Him yurs am small, him eyes am raid, Him hab no toof een him ol' haid, Him hab him roots, him wu'k him trick, Him roll him eye, him mek you sick-- De Cunjah man, de Cunjah man, O chillen, run, de Cunjah man!

Him hab ur ball ob raid, raid ha'r, Him hide it un' de kitchen sta'r, Mam Jude huh pars urlong dat way, An' now huh hab ur snaik, de say.

Him wrop ur roun' huh buddy tight, Huh eyes pop out, ur orful sight-- De Cunjah man, de Cunjah man, O chillen, run, de Cunjah man!

Miss Jane, huh dribe him f'um huh do', An' now huh hens woan' lay no mo'; De Jussey cow huh done fall sick, Hit all done by de Cunjah trick.

Him put ur root un' 'Lijah's baid, An' now de man he sho' am daid-- De Cunjah man, de Cunjah man, O chillen, run, de Cunjah man!

Me see him stan' de yudder night Right een de road een white moon-light; Him toss him arms, him whirl him 'roun', Him stomp him foot urpon de groun'; De snaiks come crawlin', one by one, Me hyuh um hiss, me break an' run-- De Cunjah man, de Cunjah man, O chillen, run, de Cunjah man!

UNCLE EPH'S BANJO SONG

Clean de ba'n an' sweep de flo', Sing, my bawnjer, sing!

We's gwine ter dawnce dis eb'nin' sho', Ring, my bawnjer, ring!

Den hits up de road an' down de lane, Hurry, n.i.g.g.ah, you miss de train; De yaller gal she dawnce so neat, De yaller gal she look so sweet, Ring, my bawnjer, ring!

De moon come up, de sun go down, Sing, my bawnjer, sing!

De n.i.g.g.ahs am all come f'um town, Ring, my bawnjer, ring!

Den hits roun' de hill an' froo de fiel'-- Lookout dar, n.i.g.g.ah, doan' you steal!

De milyuns on dem vines am green, De moon am bright, O you'll be seen, Ring, my bawnjer, ring!

OL' DOC' HYAR

Ur ol' Hyar lib in ur house on de hill, He hunner yurs ol' an' nebber wuz ill; He yurs dee so long an' he eyes so beeg, An' he laigs so spry dat he dawnce ur jeeg; He lib so long dat he know ebbry tings 'Bout de beas'ses dat walks an' de bu'ds dat sings-- Dis Ol' Doc' Hyar, Whar lib up dar Een ur mighty fine house on ur mighty high hill.

He doctah fur all de beas'ses an' bu'ds-- He put on he specs an' he use beeg wu'ds, He feel dee pu's' den he look mighty wise, He pull out he watch an' he shet bofe eyes; He grab up he hat an' grab up he cane, Den--"blam!" go de do'--he gone lak de train, Dis Ol' Doc' Hyar, Whar lib up dar Een ur mighty fine house on ur mighty high hill.

Mistah Ba'r fall sick--dee sont fur Doc' Hyar, "O, Doctah, come queeck, an' see Mr. B'ar; He mighty nigh daid des sho' ez you b'on!"

"Too much ur young peeg, too much ur green co'n,"

Ez he put on he hat, said Ol' Doc' Hyar; "I'll tek 'long meh lawnce, an' lawnce Mistah B'ar,"

Said Ol' Doc' Hyar, Whar lib up dar Een ur mighty fine house on ur mighty high hill.

Mistah B'ar he groaned, Mistah B'ar he growled, W'ile de ol' Miss B'ar an' de chillen howled; Doctah Hyar tuk out he sha'p li'l lawnce, An' pyu'ced Mistah B'ar twel he med him prawnce Den grab up he hat an' grab up he cane "Blam!" go de do' an' he gone lak de train, Dis Ol' Doc' Hyar, Whar lib up dar Een ur mighty fine house on ur mighty high hill.

But de vay naix day Mistah B'ar he daid; Wen dee tell Doc' Hyar, he des scratch he haid: "Ef pahsons git well ur pahsons git wu's, Money got ter come een de Ol' Hyar's pu's; Not wut folkses does, but fur wut dee know Does de folkses git paid"--an' Hyar larfed low, Dis Ol' Doc' Hyar, Whar lib up dar Een de mighty fine house on de mighty high hill!

WHEN OL' SIS' JUDY PRAY

When ol' Sis' Judy pray, De teahs come stealin' down my cheek, De voice ur G.o.d widin me speak'; I see myse'f so po' an' weak, Down on my knees de cross I seek, When ol' Sis' Judy pray.

When ol' Sis' Judy pray, De thun'ers ur Mount Sin-a-i Comes rus.h.i.+n' down f'um up on high-- De Debbil tu'n his back an' fly While sinnahs loud fur pa'don cry, When ol' Sis' Judy pray.

When ol' Sis' Judy pray, Ha'd sinnahs trimble in dey seat Ter hyuh huh voice in sorro 'peat; (While all de chu'ch des sob an' weep) "O Shepa'd, dese, dy po' los' sheep!"

When ol' Sis' Judy pray.

When ol' Sis' Judy pray, De whole house hit des rock an' moan Ter see huh teahs an' hyuh huh groan; Dar's somepin' in Sis' Judy's tone Dat melt all ha'ts dough med ur stone When ol' Sis' Judy pray.

When ol' Sis' Judy pray, Salvation's light comes pourin' down-- Hit fill de chu'ch an' all de town-- Why, angels' robes go rustlin' 'roun', An' hebben on de Yurf am foun', When ol' Sis' Judy pray.

When ol' Sis' Judy pray, My soul go sweepin' up on wings, An' loud de chu'ch wid "Glory!" rings, An' wide de gates ur Jahsper swings Twel you hyuh ha'ps wid golding strings, When ol' Sis' Judy pray.

COMPENSATION

O, rich young lord, thou ridest by With looks of high disdain; It chafes me not thy t.i.tle high, Thy blood of oldest strain.

The lady riding at thy side Is but in name thy promised bride, Ride on, young lord, ride on!

Her father wills and she obeys, The custom of her cla.s.s; 'Tis Land not Love the trothing sways-- For Land he sells his la.s.s.

Her fair white hand, young lord, is thine, Her _soul_, proud fool, her _soul_ is mine, Ride on, young lord, ride on!