NO HIDING PLACE [By Brown, S. A., 1901-]

Went down to the rocks to hide my face, The rocks cried out no hiding place.

to Michael Harper, recoverer Michael Winston, restorer Michael Campbell, godson Sterling Stuckey, renewer Sterling Jenkins, godson

[Page 155 ]

Part One

Brown, Sterling Allen, 1901-1989 : Harlem Happiness

1 I think there is in this the stuff for many lyrics:--- 2 A dago fruit stand at three A.M.; the wop asleep, his woman 3 Knitting a tiny garment, laughing when we approached her, 4 Flashing a smile from white teeth, then weighing out the grapes, 5 Grapes large as plums, and tart and sweet as---well we know the lady 6 And purplish red and firm, quite as this lady's lips are.... 7 We laughed, all three when she awoke her swarthy, snoring Pietro 8 To make us change, which we, rich paupers, left to help the garment. 9 We swaggered off; while they two stared, and laughed in understanding, 10 And thanked us lovers who brought back an old Etrurian springtide. 11 Then, once beyond their light, a step beyond their pearly smiling 12 We tasted grapes and tasted lips, and laughed at sleepy Harlem,

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13 And when the huge Mick cop stomped by, a'swingin' of his billy 14 You nodded to him gaily, and I kissed you with him looking, 15 Beneath the swinging light that weakly fought against the mist 16 That settled on Eighth Avenue, and curled around the houses. 17 And he grinned too and understood the wisdom of our madness. 18 That night at least the world was ours to spend, nor were we misers. 19 Ah, Morningside with Maytime awhispering in the foliage! 20 Alone, atop the city,-the tramps were still in shelter--- 21 And moralizing lights that peered up from the murky distance 22 Seemed soft as our two cigarette ends burning slowly, dimly, 23 And careless as the jade stars that winked upon our gladness....

24 And when I flicked my cigarette, and we watched it falling, falling, 25 It seemed a shooting meteor, that we, most proud creators 26 Sent down in gay capriciousness upon a trivial Harlem---

27 And then I madly quoted lyrics from old kindred masters, 28 Who wrote of you, unknowing you, for far more lucky me--- 29 And you sang broken bits of song, and we both slept in snatches, 30 And so the night sped on too swift, with grapes, and words and kisses, 31 And numberless cigarette ends glowing in the darkness 32 Old Harlem slept regardless, but a motherly old moon--- 33 Shone down benevolently on two happy wastrel lovers....

[Page 157 ]

Brown, Sterling Allen, 1901-1989 : Negro Improvement League

1 I wondered at the huge blockade 2 At the ridiculous parade 3 That limped along in the straitlaced coats 4 And Sunday shoes too tight---

5 Old men and women comfortless 6 Would curse dearbought impressiveness 7 And Seventh Avenue's scorching heat, 8 In stuffy flats, that night

9 I knew, and so, I puzzled out 10 Just what the fuss was all about 11 Just why the noise and feathers, and 12 Regalia absurd

13 And what new dreams could now convoke 14 My gullible and naive folk 15 To strut their stuff so painfully 16 Until at Thirty Third

17 I quickly understood the why--- 18 For there, most startling, not my eye 19 A most sufficient reason---an 20 Achievement of the race---

21 For who was there but Gwendolyn 22 With a frock she looked quite stunning in 23 And a brand new hat, near worthy of 24 Her impudent brown face

25 Her roguish shoulders, and her neat 26 And pretty legs, and naughty feet 27 In patent leather slippers, all 28 Were really quite too bad

29 Progressive Ethiopians, 30 Societies for Race Advance, 31 Should go down on their knees, and thank 32 Her mother and her dad.

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Brown, Sterling Allen, 1901-1989 : The Temple

1 The orator finished his eulogy, 2 A voice rang through the hall, 3 "Would you mind if I akst a few queshuns?" 4 "My dear mohn, not at all."

5 "War die Marrcus Garrvey a gretter mohn 6 Dan General George Washingtum war?" 7 "Why certainly, mohn, assuredly, mohn, 8 A greater mohn by far."

9 "Well what about Booker Washington, 10 Have Marrcus got him beat?" 11 "Why, mohn, what have de Booker done 12 To equal de Blahck Star Fleet? "

13 "War he gretter dan Abraham Lincoln 14 What set de niggruhs free?" 15 "Oi yes, mohn, Marcus have done more, 16 Marcus are greater than he."

17 "War he gretter mohn dan Pershing 18 De mohn what won de war?" 19 "Oi yes mohn, Marcus Garvey 20 He have accumplished more."

21 "War he greater dan Herbert Hoover 22 De prasident of dese stet'?" 23 "Oi, mohn, don't be de bressed fool, 24 Hoover he not so gret."

25 "Well, one mo' queshun I like to aksk 26 An' den I shall be done; 27 Ar he de gretter mohn dan Jesus Christ 28 Who die for every wan?"

29 The crowd was breathless; the orator's brow 30 Beaded with honest sweat, 31 "Well ... Oi, mohn, give de faller little chahnce 32 He de very young mohn yet...."

[Page 159 ]

Brown, Sterling Allen, 1901-1989 : Roberta Lee

1 A Lee of Lewisburg in this place. 2 Surely the gray ghost of her father's father 3 Would toss in his dark grave, and set the medals 4 Jingling upon the Confederate chest, still arched. 5 She, Roberta Lee, in this hell-hole of the North 6 A Harlem cabaret, logical outcome of Appomattox 7 She gestured for another drink of gin, 8 Bar sinister relative, for damyanks and niggers, 9 Of bourbon in tall glasses, frosty and delicate, 10 Crowned with a sprig of mint. 11 Roberta! 12 She hated all of this, and took another drink. 13 But though her mind grew cloudy, her eyes were fiercer 14 Probing the murk to fix the devilishness. 15 Twelve undraped maenads, some nearly as white as she, 16 Some even blonde, the darkest a rose-brown, 17 Whipped into contortions, lithely provocative, 18 Tap-danced, pirouetted, whirled through a skilled routine. 19 "The hussies," thought Roberta, and gulped down the raw gin 20 One danced beside her table with abandon, 21 Upon her plump firm thigh a mole; within 22 Her sparkling eyes a daring and a surety. 23 Henry applauded, beamed, showed the world he liked it. 24 "And he from Texas, too," Roberta thought. 25 Then wearily, "Perhaps that is the reason." 26 Suddenly, she turned to the dancing girl, 27 "Get away," she whispered, and her mind 28 Concerned with Texas Henry, filled with sickly fear, 29 Remembering; her bitter eyes spoke more: "You sassy wench 30 You lewd and impudent nigger, get the hell away." 31 But to the rose of Dixie, to Roberta, Southerner, 32 The chorine presented, due South, a Southern exposure. 33 Roberta shuddered. How she hated it all: 34 The elaborate hangings, the sensuous decorations 35 The reek of cigarette smoke, perfume, and liquor, 36 The oily Jew who introduced the 'artists', 37 The bold glances of the sleek boys in the band, 38 Of a group of Negroes grouped in a far corner, 39 Even their quiet was to be resented--- 40 "They seem like dark cats ready for a spring"

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41 But most she was revolted at the girls, 42 Proud of their beauty, decked out in fetching costumes, 43 Now in neat bandanas and blue ginghams 44 Quickly pulled above their shapely knees, 45 Now in silk shorts and jeweled brassieres, 46 "Disgusting immorality," thought Roberta, 47 And wondered if Texas Henry would like them better than her. 48 "I always heard that they could love," she mused. 49 "I hate them, oh, I hate them," she cried aloud 50 "Hate who?" "Oh, give me another drink" 51 She drank and coughed. 52 "Oh less go home; don't wanta see any mo." 53 Then he appeared. 54 Ape-like in body, with his long arms dangling, 55 Nearly to his feet resembling flatboats, 56 Upon his head a crazy hat, his face 57 A black mask, except for large white circles 58 About his eyes, and thickly painted lips. 59 He danced. 60 She drank some more to wake her to attention. 61 He shuffled his flat feet, swing back and fro, 62 Grotesque, ridiculous; he could not keep his balance, 63 His lips got in his way, he fell to the slippery floor, 64 While the drummer struck zip, boom, to time his falling. 65 He arched over backwards, fell upon his head, 66 Boom went the drum, bang went the cymbals, 67 "Oh isn't that lovely," breathed Roberta. 68 "That's the kind of nigger I know," said Roberta, 69 Too rapt to hear Texas Henry's "Oh yeah?" 70 And she remembered all she had heard 71 Her grandfather declaim of the golden age, 72 "The niggruh," he had said, "is the most comical animal" 73 The clown fell over himself a few more times. 74 Bent over backwards to pick up his handkerchief 75 Between his teeth; half rose, half fell; Roberta tittered; 76 Then he fell bang, bang, somersaulted, crept off, 77 Gorilla like, with stupid mask impassive 78 Applause rose to the low-ceiling, round on round. 79 He made one bow, then disappeared for good. 80 Roberta Lee was frantic. 81 "Oh bring him back," she whimpered. 82 "Please bring him back again."

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Brown, Sterling Allen, 1901-1989 : Real Mammy Song

(With proudful apologies to Irving Berlin et al. and all the Tin Pan Alley Manipulators)

1 Mammy 2 Sun shines east, sun shines west, 3 Moon shines on de boy 4 She loved de best 5 Cowering in the canebrake 6 Down in the canebrake 7 Close by de mill 8 Dere lies a culluhd boy 9 Terrified and still 10 Lordy how he played it 11 Lordy how he swayed it 12 An' they called him Sunny Jim 13 Five bullets for crackers 14 And the last for him 15 Number one for the Sheriff 16 Number two for the bum 17 Three more to make ready 18 And here they come 19 Rich man, poor man 20 Beggar 21 Bootlegger 22 View halloo 23 And here they come 24 I'm coming, Virginia 25 And the last for Sunny Jim 26 Oh, tuck him to sleep 27 In his old Kentucky home 28 Far, far away 29 Where the Carolina moon is shining 30 Shining 31 And the darkies all are 32 Gay.

33 They done took 34 Poor Jim away....

35 They done took 36 My son away....

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Brown, Sterling Allen, 1901-1989 : The Law for George

(Curriculum For Dr. Hancock's School) Sociology 143; Tort 23

Poem section

1 George: 2 Don't be no Chinaman 3 Let me get you told 4 For once

PORTER

1 Take her tray 2 Into her Pullman compartment 3 She may be in morning all-shabby 4 Take her gin and gingerale 5 She may be in cool of the evening lingerie 6 That's all right 7 You got your white coat on, ain't you? 8 Okeh. 9 But don't ever ride 10 With her in a Pullman 11 Without that white coat on 12 Don't even buy 13 No ticket for a Pullman 14 She might just be thinking 'bout riding 15 You fool you 16 You want to make the lady paint?

COOK

1 Cook her food for her 2 Season it, taste it, 3 But don't sit in the same room 4 Eating with her 5 You want to poison her, you fool?

REDCAP

1 Carry her bags for her 2 Listen to her kiddin' 3 Laugh with her

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4 But don't never offer 5 To help her with no bundles 6 When you ain't got 7 Yo' redcap on. 8 See?

HOUSEMAN

1 In your overhalls 2 Leaning on yo' rake 3 Talk to her long as she wants 4 Cut roses for her 5 Give her a bouquet 6 Go all through the house 7 Putting things to right 8 Okeh. 9 But don't be no Chinaman, George. 10 Don't never put on 11 No collar and no tie 12 Don't never hand her no flower 13 Without those overhalls on. 14 See?

CHAUFFEUR

1 Drive her car wherever 2 The notion takes her 3 In traffic, on the turnpike 4 Through narrow country lanes 5 Day or night. 6 Okeh. 7 But don't walk behind her 8 On no state highway 9 In the broadest of broad daylight. 10 You ain't so ignorant 11 I gotta tell you that? 12 Heh?

[Page 164 ]

Law for Georgianna (Addenda)

HARTSHORN

1 When the master calls you 2 Young master, old master, 3 Go in his room 4 And do his bidding 5 Remember your manners, child. 6 He'll explain race purity 7 And other deep subjects 8 Economics of amalgamation 9 The truth about reconstruction.

10 When you go out 11 Make your courtesy 12 Say "Thank you, sir."

13 (And don't never let him catch you 14 Whisperin' to George)

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Brown, Sterling Allen, 1901-1989 : The New Congo

n (With no apologies to Vachel Lindsay)

1 Suave big jigs in a conference room, 2 Big job jigs, with their jobs unstable, 3 Sweated and fumed and trembled 'round the table 4 Trembled 'round the table 5 Sat around as gloomy as the watchers of a tomb 6 Tapped upon the table 7 Boom, Boom, Boom. 8 With their soft pigs' knuckles and their fingers and their thumbs 9 In a holy sweat that their time had come 10 Boomlay, boomlay, boomlay, boom. 11 How can I go back to being a bum. 12 Then I had religion, then I had a vision 13 I could not turn from their anguish in derision. 14 Then I saw the Uncle Tom, creeping through the black 15 Cutting through the bigwoods with his trousers slack 16 With hinges on his knees, and with putty up his back. 17 Then along the line from the big wig jigs 18 Then I heard the plaint of the money-lust song. 19 And the cry for status yodeled loud and long 20 And a line of argument loud and wrong 21 And "Bucks" screamed the trombones and the flutes of the spokesmen 22 "Bucks" screamed the newly made Ph.D. Doctors 23 Utilize the sure-fire goofie dust powder 24 Garner the shekels 25 Encompass mazuma 26 Boomlay, boomlay, boomlay, booma. 27 Bing. 28 Tremolo, mendicant implorations 29 From the mouths of Uncle Toms 30 To the great foundations. 31 "Jack is a good thing 32 A goddamn good thing 33 The only bad thing 34 Is there ain't enough. 35 Boom, fool the whitefolks 36 Boom, gyp the jigaboos 37 Boom, get the prestige

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38 Strut your stuff." 39 Listen to the cry of the Negro mass 40 Down to its uppers, down on its ass. 41 Hear how the big jigs fool 'em still 42 With their services paid from the white man's till. 43 Listen to the cunning exhortations 44 Wafted to the ears of the big foundations 45 Blown to the big white boss paymasters 46 Faint hints of far-reaching grim disasters. 47 "Be careful what you do 48 Or your Mumbo-jumbo stuff for Sambo 49 And all of the other 50 Bilge for Sambo 51 Your Mumbo-Jumbo will get away from you. 52 Your Bimbo-Sambo will revolt from you. 53 Better let Uncle Tombo see it through, 54 A little long green at this time will do...."

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Part Two

Brown, Sterling Allen, 1901-1989 : Arkansas Chant

1 The devil is a rider 2 In slouch hat and boots, 3 Gun by his side, 4 Bull whip in his hand, 5 The devil is a rider; 6 The rider is a devil 7 Riding his buck stallion 8 Over the land.

9 The poor-white and nigger sinners 10 Are low-down in the valley, 11 The rider is a devil

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12 And there's hell to pay; 13 The devil is a rider, 14 God may be the owner, 15 But he's rich and forgetful, 16 And far away.

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Brown, Sterling Allen, 1901-1989 : The Young Ones

1 With cotton to the doorstep 2 No place to play; 3 No time: what with chopping cotton 4 All the day.

5 In the broken down car 6 They jounce up and down 7 Pretend to be steering 8 On the way to town.

9 It's as far as they'll get 10 For many a year; 11 Cotton brought them 12 And will keep them here.

13 The spare-ribbed yard dog 14 Has gone away; 15 The kids, just as hungry, 16 Have to stay.

17 In the two-roomed shack 18 Their mammy is lying, 19 With a little new brother 20 On her arm, crying.

21 Another mouth to feed 22 Another body to bed, 23 Another to grow up 24 Underfed.

25 But their pappy's happy 26 And they hear him say: 27 "The good Lord giveth, 28 And taketh away.

29 "It's two more hands 30 For to carry a row; 31 Praise God from whom 32 All blessings flow."

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Brown, Sterling Allen, 1901-1989 : Old Lem

1 I talked to old Lem 2 and old Lem said: 3 "They weigh the cotton 4 They store the corn 5 We only good enough 6 To work the rows; 7 They run the commissary 8 They keep the books 9 We gotta be grateful 10 For being cheated; 11 Whippersnapper clerks 12 Call us out of our name 13 We got to say mister 14 To spindling boys 15 They make our figgers 16 Turn somersets 17 We buck in the middle 18 Say, "Thankyuh, sah." 19 They don't come by ones 20 They don't come by twos 21 But they come by tens.

22 "They got the judges 23 They got the lawyers 24 They got the jury-rolls 25 They got the law 26 They don't come by ones 27 They got the sheriffs 28 They got the deputies 29 They don't come by twos 30 They got the shotguns 31 They got the rope 32 We git the justice 33 In the end 34 And they come by tens.

35 "Their fists stay closed 36 Their eyes look straight 37 Our hands stay open 38 Our eyes must fall

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39 They don't come by ones 40 They got the manhood 41 They got the courage 42 They don't come by twos 43 We got to slink around 44 Hangtailed hounds. 45 They burn us when we dogs 46 They burn us whem we men 47 They come by tens ...

48 "I had a buddy 49 Six foot of man 50 Muscled up perfect 51 Game to the heart 52 They don't come by ones 53 Outworked and outfought 54 Any man or two men 55 They don't come by twos 56 He spoke out of turn 57 At the commissary 58 They gave him a day 59 To git out the county 60 He didn't take it. 61 He said 'Come and get me.' 62 They came and got him 63 And they came by tens. 64 He stayed in the county--- 65 He lays there dead.

66 They don't come by ones 67 They don't come by twos 68 But they come by tens."

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Brown, Sterling Allen, 1901-1989 : Sharecroppers

1 When they rode up at first dark and called his name, 2 He came out like a man from his little shack. 3 He saw his landlord, and he saw the sheriff, 4 And some well-armed riff-raff in the pack. 5 When they fired questions about the meeting, 6 He stood like a man gone deaf and dumb, 7 But when the leaders left their saddles, 8 He knew then that his time had come. 9 In the light of the lanterns the long cuts fell, 10 And his wife's weak moans and the children's wails 11 Mixed with the sobs he could not hold. 12 But he wouldn't tell, he would not tell. 13 The Union was his friend, and he was Union, 14 And there was nothing a man could say. 15 So they trussed him up with stout ploughlines, 16 Hitched up a mule, dragged him far away 17 Into the dark woods that tell no tales, 18 Where he kept his secrets as well as they.

19 He would not give away the place, 20 Nor who they were, neither white nor black, 21 Nor tell what his brothers were about. 22 They lashed him, and they clubbed his head; 23 One time he parted his bloody lips 24 Out of great pain and greater pride, 25 One time, to laugh in his landlord's face; 26 Then his landlord shot him in the side. 27 He toppled, and the blood gushed out. 28 But he didn't mumble ever a word, 29 And cursing, they left him there for dead. 30 He lay waiting quiet, until he heard 31 The growls and the mutters dwindle away; 32 "Didn't tell a single thing," he said, 33 Then to the dark woods and the moon 34 He gave up one secret before he died: 35 "We gonna clean out dis brushwood round here soon, 36 Plant de white-oak and de black-oak side by side."

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Brown, Sterling Allen, 1901-1989 : Master and Man

1 The yellow ears are crammed in Mr. Cromartie's bin 2 The wheat is tight sacked in Mr. Cromartie's barn. 3 The timothy is stuffed in Mr. Cromartie's loft. 4 The ploughs are lined up in Mr. Cromartie's shed. 5 The cotton has gone to Mr. Cromartie's factor. 6 The money is in Mr. Cromartie's bank. 7 Mr. Cromartie's son made his frat at the college. 8 Mr. Cromartie's daughter has got her new car. 9 The veranda is old, but the fireplace is rosy. 10 Well done, Mr. Cromartie. Time now for rest.

11 Blackened sticks line the furrows that Uncle Ned laid. 12 Bits of fluff are in the corners where Uncle Ned ginned. 13 The mules he ploughed are sleek in Mr. Cromartie's pastures. 14 The hoes grow dull in Mr. Cromartie's shed. 15 His winter rations wait on the commissary shelves; 16 Mr. Cromartie's ledger is there for his service. 17 Uncle Ned daubs some mortar between the old logs. 18 His children have traipsed off to God knows where. 19 His old lady sits patching the old, thin denims; 20 She's got a new dress, and his young one a doll, 21 He's got five dollars. The year has come round. 22 The harvest is over: Uncle Ned's harvesting, 23 Mr. Cromartie's harvest. Time now for rest.

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Part Three

Brown, Sterling Allen, 1901-1989 : Southern Cop

1 Let us forgive Ty Kendricks. 2 The place was Darktown. He was young. 3 His nerves were jittery. The day was hot. 4 The Negro ran out of the alley. 5 And so he shot.

6 Let us understand Ty Kendricks. 7 The Negro must have been dangerous, 8 Because he ran; 9 And here was a rookie with a chance 10 To prove himself a man.

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11 Let us condone Ty Kendricks 12 If we cannot decorate. 13 When he found what the Negro was running for, 14 It was too late; 15 And all we can say for the Negro is 16 It was unfortunate.

17 Let us pity Ty Kendricks, 18 He has been through enough, 19 Standing there, his big gun smoking, 20 Rabbit-scared, alone, 21 Having to hear the wenches wail 22 And the dying Negro to moan.

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Brown, Sterling Allen, 1901-1989 : Mr. Danny

1 Oh, Danny got a goat to ride, 2 Oh, Danny got a goat to ride, 3 He ain't had nothing, 4 Won't never have anything, 5 But Danny is satisfied.

6 Dirty as sin, an' hookworms 7 Pluggin' away inside, 8 Bats in his belfry flappin' round, 9 But he got a black goat to ride.

10 Cockleburred and amber stained, 11 Neck red as a clay hillside, 12 Smells as loud as a stableyard, 13 Still Danny got a goat to ride.

14 With his "Nigger this" and his "Black Coon that" 15 "Bigard, I'll beat yo' stinkin' hide!" 16 Danny feels equal to a natural king: 17 Mister Danny got a goat to ride.

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Brown, Sterling Allen, 1901-1989 : An Old Woman Remembers

1 Her eyes were gentle, her voice was for soft singing 2 In the stiff-backed pew, or on the porch when evening 3 Comes slowly over Atlanta. But she remembered. 4 She said: "After they cleaned out the saloons and the dives 5 The drunks and the loafers, they thought that they had better 6 Clean out the rest of us. And it was awful. 7 They snatched men off of street-cars, beat up women. 8 Some of our men fought back and killed too. Still 9 It wasn't their habit. And then the orders came 10 For the milishy, and the mob went home, 11 And dressed up in their soldiers' uniforms, 12 And rushed back shooting just as wild as ever. 13 Some leaders told us to keep faith in the law, 14 In the governor; some did not keep that faith, 15 Some never had it; he was white, too and the time 16 Was near election, and the rebs were mad. 17 He wasn't stopping hornets with his head bare. 18 The white folks at the big houses, some of them 19 Kept all their servants home under protection 20 But that was all the trouble they could stand. 21 And some were put out when their cooks and yard-boys 22 Were thrown from cars and beaten, and came late or not at all. 23 And the police they helped the mob, and the milishy 24 They helped the police. And it got worse and worse.

25 "They broke into groceries, drug-stores, barber-shops, 26 It made no difference whether white or black. 27 They beat a lame bootblack until he died, 28 They cut an old man open with jack-knives 29 The newspapers named us black brutes and mad dogs. 30 So they used a gun butt on the president 31 Of our seminary where a lot of folks 32 Had set up praying prayers the whole night through. 33 And then," she said, "our folks got sick and tired 34 Of being chased and beaten and shot down. 35 All of a sudden, one day, they all got sick and tired 36 The servants they put down their mops and pans 37 And brooms and hoes and rakes and coachman whips, 38 Bad niggers stopped their drinking Dago red, 39 Good Negroes figured they had prayed enough,

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40 All came back home---they had been too long away--- 41 A lot of visitors had been looking for them. 42 They sat on their front stoops and in their yards, 43 Not talking much, but ready; their welcome ready: 44 Their shotguns oiled and loaded on their knees.

45 "And then 46 There wasn't any riot any more."

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Brown, Sterling Allen, 1901-1989 : Transfer

I

1 It must have been that the fellow was tongue-tied, 2 Or absent-minded, or daft with the heat, 3 But howsoeverbeit he didn't say sir, 4 So they took and bounced him out on the street.

5 And then the motorman brained him with his crank, 6 And the conductor clubbed him with his gun, 7 But before they could place the nickels on his eyes, 8 The cops rushed up to see justice done.

9 The city-court judge was merciful to him: 10 Gave him just four years and suspended his fine, 11 For bruising white knuckles, inciting to riot, 12 And holding up traffic on the Peachtree line.

13 When the boy came to, he was still right skittish, 14 They figured they had got him rid of his harm, 15 By beating his head, and displacing his jawbone, 16 So they made him a trusty on the prison-farm.

II

1 But one day a red sun beat on the red hills 2 As he was in the pasture, haltering a mare, 3 And something went snap in his trusty old head 4 And he started a-riding away from there.

5 When he got to Atlanta, the folks took him in, 6 And fed him and clothed him, and hid him away; 7 And let him out only when the cops disappear 8 From the streets of Darktown at the dusk of day:

9 Then he goes to the car-stop and takes his stand, 10 And some call him daffy, and some call him smart, 11 But all have heard the one text he's been preaching, 12 And some have the whole sermon down by heart:

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13 "I stayed in my place, and my place stayed wid me, 14 Took what was dished, said I liked it fine: 15 Figgered they would see that I warn't no trouble, 16 Figgered this must be the onliest line.

17 "But this is the wrong line we been riding', 18 This route doan git us where we got to go. 19 Got to git transferred to a new direction. 20 We can stand so much, then doan stan no mo'."

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Brown, Sterling Allen, 1901-1989 : Episode

1 Black Joe Harmon has lost his job. 2 The last hunk of bread went into his lunchbox 3 This morning; eight dollars of the final pay-slip 4 Belong already to the rent-collector, 5 A buck and a-half must last him until.... 6 Maybe, forever.... 7 His mouth is dry; fear throttles his brain. 8 Homeward he shuffles, unaware, lost. 9 Maybe, maybe, forever ... maybe, not ever no more. 10 At Jefferson and Park, 11 He lumbers across on the amber switch. 12 The gasping of brakes, the shrieking of wheels 13 Wake him, drag him out of the black wilderness. 14 "Gawdamnit, naygur, watch where yuh going!" 15 "Naygur, naygur," say the voices, the glaring eyes. 16 Backing off from the trolley, his strong frame quivering 17 He stops short again as the brakes of a car 18 Screech, and a bumper grazes his knee. 19 A roadster, three light-skinned Negroes in front, 20 A dude and his girl friend at play in the rumble: 21 "Scared yuh, hey, Sam? We'll git yuh next time" 22 "Sam, Sam"---Derision floated back to him. 23 Oh nothing left now, let him rush from his shame 24 Home to his alley, curse his dulled wife, 25 Cuff his baby, stamp, rage till exhausted 26 In the bare lamp-lighted coop called home. 27 Let him guzzle liquor, drink upon drink, 28 Raw flaming spirit of barely cooked corn 29 Let him stagger from the rickety stoop of his house, 30 Switch blade in his pocket, hate in his heart, 31 White lightning hate, scorching his brain. 32 Oh, for a face to smash into pulp, 33 For the world's wrong there, all crowded before him, 34 Oh for a throat to glut his fierce hatred. 35 Let him rush out, now, drunken and sick, 36 Find where he can a crashing appeasement, 37 Let madness have him, let murder be served. 38 Let the world totter; 39 Let the end come.

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Brown, Sterling Allen, 1901-1989 : All Are Gay

1 The picture of content should be complete: 2 I sing the happy pickaninnies 3 Underneath the Georgia moon.

4 There should be laughing, tumbling, 5 Wild flinging about of thin arms and legs and bottoms.

6 'Tis summer, the darkies are gay 7 They are: down on Decatur Street 8 Two kids climb cartons like Bojangles, 9 Tap, tap, ta-ta-tap- 10 Dancing for the pennies of the passers-by.

11 Let the picture be complete, with all of its fixings: 12 The jigs, the singing, and the ceaseless play, 13 The perpetual wide-mouthed smiles.

14 And: in the paved alleys behind the wealthy homes, 15 The foragers dart thin wrists in glittering garbage-pails, 16 Find heels of soggy bread, and unstripped chops, 17 Topping off the feast with rinds of grapefruit 18 Or rattlesnake melons snitched from market piles, 19 With practiced looks thrown swiftly over their shoulders 20 For their arch-enemies, the cops.

21 Underneath the Georgia moon ...

22 M' ole man is on de chaingang 23 Muh mammy's on relief

24 Down at the Lincoln Theater, little Abe is set free again. 25 Hears music that gets deep down, into his soul. 26 "Callin' all cars, callin' all cars," and the prolonged hiss, 27 "Black Ace. Black Ace." And his thin voice screams 28 When the tommy guns drill, and the bodies fall, 29 Mow them down, mow them down, gangsters or G-men, 30 So long as the folks get killt, no difference at all, 31 So long as the rattling gun-fire plays little Abe his song.

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32 And the only pleasure exceeding this 33 Will come when he gets hold of the pearl-handled gat 34 Waiting for him, ready, in Moe Epstein's.

35 Gonna be the Black Ace hisself before the time ain't 36 long.

37 Outside the theater he stalks his pa'dner, 38 Creeps up behind him, cocks his thumb, 39 Rams his forefinger against his side. 40 "Stick 'em up, dam yuh," his treble whines.

41 The squeals and the flight 42 Are more than he looked for, his laughter peals, 43 He is just at the bursting point with delight. 44 "Black Ace. Stick 'em up, feller.... I'm the Black Ace."

45 Oh, to grow up soon, to the top of glory, 46 With a glistening furrow on his dark face, 47 Badge of his manhood, pass-key to fame. 48 "Before the time ain't long," he says. 49 "Lord, before the time ain't long."

50 The young folks roll in the cabins on the floor

51 And in the narrow unlighted streets, 52 Behind the shrouding vines and lattices, 53 Up the black foul alleys, the unpaved roads, 54 Sallie Lou and Johnnie Mae play the spies, 55 Ready, giggling, for experiments, for their unformed 56 bodies 57 To be roughly clasped, for little wild cries, 58 For words learned of their elders on display: 59 "Gonna get me a boy friend," Sallie Lou says; 60 "Got me a man already," brags Johnnie Mae.

61 This is the schooling ungrudged by the state. 62 Short in time, as usual, but fashioned to last. 63 The scholars are apt, and never play truant. 64 The stockade is waiting.... And they will not be late.

65 Before, before the time ain't very long.

[Page 185 ]

66 In the stockade: "Little boy, how come you hyeah?" 67 "Little bitty gal, how old are you?" 68 "Well, I got hyeah, didn't I? Whatchu keer?" 69 "I'm goin' on twelve years old."

70 Say of them then: "Like Topsy, they just grew."

[Page 187 ]

Part Four 'ROCKS CRIED OUT' [By Brown, S. A., 1901-]

Brown, Sterling Allen, 1901-1989 : Legend

1 The old black man was stood on the block 2 The old white man looked into his mouth 3 The old white man held up his fingers 4 "I own you, nigger," 5 Said the old white man.

6 The old black man drove his plough afield 7 From sun-come-up until sun-go-down, 8 His hut was leaky, and the food was scarce, 9 "I'm grateful for these favors," 10 Said the old black man.

[Page 188 ]

11 The old black man had a pretty wife 12 The old white man took her to his house 13 The wife came back with a half-white baby. 14 "I'm glad to be of service," 15 Said the old black man.

16 The old black man heard talk of his freedom 17 The old black man saw his mates take flight 18 He rushed the news to his old white master 19 "I thought it best you know it," 20 Said the old black man.

21 The old black man lost his half-white daughter 22 Down the river, and a son in the swamp. 23 The old black man lost his wife in the grave. 24 "I've still got my master," 25 Said the old black man.

26 The old black man saw his son grow sturdy 27 Saw his eyes taking stock of the old white man 28 Heard him say things past all believing, 29 "You're on the road to ruin," 30 Said the old black man.

31 The old black man was hung by his thumbs 32 To the smokehouse rafters while the old cat lashed 33 He rubbed salt and water upon the welts 34 "I must have deserved it," 35 Said the old black man.

36 The young black man got to asking questions 37 Why corn and cotton were his own for working 38 But not his at all in the shocks and the bales. 39 "You're a fool blasphemer," 40 Said the old black man.

41 The old black man had talk with his master 42 The old white man was near to a stroke 43 The young black man would not be grateful 44 "After all you've done for him," 45 Said the old black man.

[Page 189 ]

46 The old white man took his whip from the wall, 47 The old black man brought the trace-chains from the barn, 48 The two old men bared their old men's muscles, 49 "Let me whip him into reason," 50 Said the old black man.

51 The young black man faced his old black father. 52 The young black man faced the old white man. 53 He straightened his shoulders, and threw back his head, 54 "I wish you both in hell," 55 Said the young black man.

56 The young black man broke the whipstock to pieces, 57 The young black man cut the lash into bits. 58 Then chained the old men together with the traces, 59 "Your fine day is over," 60 Said the young black man.

[Page 190 ]

Brown, Sterling Allen, 1901-1989 : Bitter Fruit of the Tree

1 They said to my grandmother: "Please do not be bitter," 2 When they sold her first-born and let the second die, 3 When they drove her husband till he took to the swamplands, 4 And brought him home bloody and beaten at last. 5 They told her, "It is better you should not be bitter, 6 Some must work and suffer so that we, who must, can live, 7 Forgiving is noble, you must not be heathen bitter; 8 These are your orders: you are not to be bitter." 9 And they left her shack for their porticoed house.

10 They said to my father: "Please do not be bitter," 11 When he ploughed and planted a crop not his, 12 When he weatherstripped a house that he could not enter, 13 And stored away a harvest he could not enjoy. 14 They answered his questions: "It does not concern you, 15 It is not for you to know, it is past your understanding, 16 All you need know is: you must not be bitter."

[Page 191 ]

Brown, Sterling Allen, 1901-1989 : Memo: For the Race Orators

I

1 This nigger too should be in history, 2 This black man amply deserves his fame: 3 The traitor, the spy, the coward, the renegade, 4 The currier of favors, the lickspittle fawner for privilege, 5 The beaten who lived in dread of the singing whip, 6 The Judas who sold his brother for a price, 7 Looking for power, looking for gratitude, 8 An easier place, or just not to be beaten.

II

1 Enroll these historic events and persons: 2 When Gabriel led his thousand on Richmond, 3 Armed with clubs and scythe-swords fashioned in spare time, 4 Down on the well-stocked powder-house and arsenal, 5 Remember Tom and Pharaoh, who blurted the news 6 To Mister Mosby, and sought as reward 7 What Gabriel wanted to fight and die for.

8 Record the waiting men "grateful for presents of old coats," 9 Colonel Prioleau's cook and house-boy, Devany, 10 Contented, preparing viands fit for a master, 11 Happy, when house guests torpidly beamed. 12 Tell of his serving the news up hot: 13 Vesey is plotting, the Negroes are gathering, 14 We must do something, the slaves are crazy, 15 The house guests and fine houses and gardens are threatened.

16 And Jim the driver, who peeked in the window, 17 When Cuffee wrapped the hoe-cake and hunk of side-meat 18 And a twist of tobacco in the bandanna, 19 And stole out of doors on the moonless night. 20 The grapevine had told Cuffee: way down in Florida 21 On the Appalachicola, with the Seminoles and Spaniards 22 You will be free, Cuffee, you will be free. 23 Tell of Jim's flight, swifter even than Cuffee's,

[Page 192 ]

24 Of the dogs treeing Cuffee in less than an hour 25 Sick at heart, still on his master's land.

26 Tell of Sandy, worth a thousand dollars as a slave 27 On the auction block, worth much less as a man. 28 Wavering, drawn to the fire of the young Fred Douglass, 29 Torn between the preacher's "Servants obey your masters." 30 And Douglass' hissed speech: "A man must be free." 31 At night times dreaming of a bird of prey 32 With Douglass in his talons, flying southwest, 33 Seeing it as plain as he ever saw Douglass. 34 When they locked up the plotters, Sandy was freed, 35 His eyes shifted and dropped when Douglass looked at him.

36 And the hackman who raised the hue and cry 37 When the seventy-odd fugitives sailed down the Potomac 38 And Stonestreet, the informer, who got in the graces 39 Of the runaways lurking in waterfront holes, 40 Overtrustful in Washington, stronghold of liberty, 41 And sold them back across the Potomac 42 And drank well on the thirty pieces of silver.

43 And the faint of heart, following Harriet Tubman, 44 Jeopardizing the safety of all 45 To still his own fears of the dogs and the silence 46 And the zigzag thrust into the unknown, 47 Superstitiously dreading the small dark woman 48 So much like a man, so fierce, so grim, 49 Who would not talk, who would not explain, 50 Who would not grow tired, who drove them on 51 More merciless than any overseer of a gang. 52 He blubbered: "I wants to go back. I wants 53 To get home.... I don't want no freedom. I wants---" 54 Quailed before the eye that he thought was evil, 55 Before the slow words, no louder than a whisper, 56 Before the big pistol she whipped from her dress: 57 "A dead nigger tells no tales. Nigger, go on or die."

[Page 193 ]

III

1 Let this man have his innings in your oratory.

2 Show how he remains: a runner to the master, 3 To the time-keeper, the warden, the straw-boss, the brass-hat, 4 The top-hat, the big shot, the huge noise, the power, 5 Show him running, hat in his hand, 6 Yelping, his tail and his hindquarters drooping.

7 Listen, orator, high-collared, full-bosom shirted, 8 With your full-dress version of race achievement 9 Of heroes who worked up to full dress too 10 Put this man where he belongs.

11 In your corridor of history, 12 Put this rat in the hold 13 Of your ship of progress, 14 This dry-rot in the rungs 15 Of your success ladder, 16 This rampant blot 17 On your race escutcheon, 18 This bastard in the line 19 Of race genealogy.

20 Celebrate this nigger. 21 He has enough descendants 22 To hear about their illustrious sire.

[Page 194 ]

Brown, Sterling Allen, 1901-1989 : Crossing

1 This is not Jordan River 2 There lies not Canaan 3 There is still 4 One more wide river to cross.

5 This is the Mississippi 6 And the stars tell us only 7 That this is not the road.

8 We do not know 9 If any have reached that Canaan 10 We have received no word.

11 Behind us the belling pack 12 Beyond them the hunters 13 Before us the dismal swamp.

14 We do not know....

15 We have exchanged Louisiana for Mississippi 16 Merely 17 Georgia for Florida 18 Carolina for Tennessee.

19 We have passed, repassed 20 So many rivers 21 Okmulgee, Chattahoochee, 22 St. Mary's, Mississippi, 23 Alabama, Tennessee, 24 Mississippi.

25 We have leapt 26 From swamp land 27 Into marshes 28 We have won through 29 To bloodred clay 30 To gravel and rock 31 To the baked lands 32 To the scorched barrens.

[Page 195 ]

33 And we grow footsore 34 And muscle weary 35 Our faces grow sullen 36 And our hearts numb

37 We do not know....

38 We know only 39 That there lies not Canaan 40 That this is no River Jordan.

41 Still are we motherless children 42 Still are we dragging travelers 43 Alone, and a long ways from home.

44 Still with the hard earth for our folding bed 45 Still with our head pillowed upon a rock

46 And still 47 With one more river, 48 Oh, one wide river to cross.

[Page 196 ]

Brown, Sterling Allen, 1901-1989 : Call for Barnum

1 Conversation in the smoker: 2 We oughta hav a Barnum. We put on these shows, 3 Good shows, too, what these folks can understand, 4 And a measly five thousand is all that turns out. 5 Lemme give you the set-up. They knew about this nigger 6 Knew he was a halfwit: he grabbed hisself a wench. 7 Only last year, but we let the bastard go--- 8 Took mercy on him---he carried a row all right 9 A right smart worker, and the girl was black besides.

10 Wal, everybody coulda told you we was gonna get him 11 He was one of these guys just had to grab at woman 12 And so, with the crops laid by, and the boys all prim 13 Word was sent around as to when the show would start 14 The radio announced it; a buddy of mine came 15 All the way from Baltimore to see the good time. 16 He said to me he always liked a circus in the country.

17 And still we ain't had but a frazzling four thousand. 18 Why think of a crowd at a world series game. 19 And I swear it was a good show we put on. 20 All the folks there and plenty excitement 21 Road cops standing by, making their bluff, 22 Say, some of the dumb birds tried carrying it out, 23 But a coupla split skulls persuaded 'em different.

24 As good as a movie. In the nick of time 25 Soon as the sheriff and the big-shots fixed alibis 26 The old gang charged. I was up with the leaders.

27 We beat in the jaildoor, went up and got the bastard, 28 Took him for a little stroll, then let him have it. 29 All a crowd could want. Steel, hemp, lead, gasoline. 30 Plenty for your money, with some drinks thrown in, 31 And a scramble for souvenirs, to a pretty chorus 32 "Give us all something to remember you by."

33 The only fault I can see was that the damned rope broke 34 Got him away when we only had one ear 35 Some folks, I'd say, take their badges too serious.

[Page 197 ]

36 But we split up the rope, and we got his gold teeth. 37 The rest wa'nt no real loss, all burnt anyhow.

38 And, I'm tellin' you there were only four thousand.

39 For a show like that. It beats me, I swear.

40 But there'll be another show soon, maybe better. 41 I'll let you know, ahead, the place and the hour. 42 We'll make up a party, the madames and all. 43 Nothing to be scared of; the wrong guns don't go off 44 And we kick the tear-gas cans around like footballs. 45 I know you'll like it. It'll be right educational. 46 And bring the kiddies along. They'll shore have fun.

[Page 198 ]

Brown, Sterling Allen, 1901-1989 : Song of Triumph

1 Let the band play Dixie. 2 And let the Rebel Yell resound. 3 Let daughters of the Confederacy 4 Be proud that once more virginal loveliness 5 Even in dingy courtrooms 6 Receives the homage of the poets.

7 Let us rush to Stone Mountain 8 Uncover our heads, stand speechless before 9 Granite embodiments of our knighthood 10 Unfinished but everlasting, 11 "And truth and honor established here, forever." 12 Lo! Stonewall, preux chevalier, 13 And Lee, majestic Arthur, facing East.

14 Behind them, to the West 15 Scottsboro, Decatur. 16 Eight cowering Negroes in a jail 17 Waiting for the justice 18 Chivalry as ever extends to them, 19 Still receiving the benefactions 20 Of Noblesse Oblige .

21 Oh, let us be proud. 22 Oh, let us, undefeated, raise again 23 The Rebel Yell.

[Page 199 ]

Brown, Sterling Allen, 1901-1989 : Remembering Nat Turner

(For R. C. L.)

1 We saw a bloody sunset over Courtland, once Jerusalem, 2 As we followed the trail that old Nat took 3 When he came out of Cross Keys down upon Jerusalem, 4 In his angry stab for freedom a hundred years ago. 5 The land was quiet, and the mist was rising, 6 Out of the woods and the Nottaway swamp, 7 Over Southampton the still night fell, 8 As we rode down to Cross Keys where the march began.

9 When we got to Cross Keys, they could tell us little of him, 10 The Negroes had only the faintest recollections: 11 "I ain't been here so long, I come from up roun' Newsome; 12 Yassah, a town a few miles up de road, 13 The old folks who coulda told you is all dead an' gone. 14 I heard something, sometime; I doan jis remember what. 15 'Pears lak I heard that name somewheres or other. 16 So he fought to be free. Well. You doan say."

17 An old white woman recalled exactly 18 How Nat crept down the steps, axe in his hand, 19 After murdering a woman and child in bed, 20 "Right in this here house at the head of these stairs" 21 (In a house built long after Nat was dead). 22 She pointed to a brick store where Nat was captured, 23 (Nat was taken in the swamp, three miles away) 24 With his men around him, shooting from the windows 25 (She was thinking of Harpers Ferry and old John Brown). 26 She cackled as she told how they riddled Nat with bullets 27 (Nat was tried and hanged at Courtland, ten miles away). 28 She wanted to know why folks would comes miles 29 Just to ask about an old nigger fool. 30 "Ain't no slavery no more, things is going all right, 31 Pervided thar's a good goober market this year. 32 We had a sign post here with printing on it, 33 But it rotted in the hole, and thar it lays, 34 And the nigger tenants split the marker for kindling. 35 Things is all right, now, ain't no trouble with the niggers 36 Why they make this big to-do over Nat?"

[Page 200 ]

37 As we drove from Cross Keys back to Courtland, 38 Along the way that Nat came down upon Jerusalem, 39 A watery moon was high in the cloud-filled heavens, 40 The same moon he dreaded a hundred years ago. 41 The tree they hanged Nat on is long gone to ashes, 42 The trees he dodged behind have rotted in the swamps.

43 The bus for Miami and the trucks boomed by, 44 And touring cars, their heavy tires snarling on the pavement. 45 Frogs piped in the marshes, and a hound bayed long, 46 And yellow lights glowed from the cabin windows.

47 As we came back the way that Nat led his army, 48 Down from Cross Keys, down to Jerusalem, 49 We wondered if his troubled spirit still roamed the Nottaway, 50 Or if it fled with the cock-crow at daylight, 51 Or lay at peace with the bones in Jerusalem, 52 Its restlessness stifled by Southampton clay.

53 We remembered the poster rotted through and falling, 54 The marker split for kindling a kitchen fire.

[Page 201 ]

Part Five

Brown, Sterling Allen, 1901-1989 : Raise a Song

1 Remember: 2 How on the reeking schooner, 3 Ushered on deck, for exercise, the stranger tribesmen, 4 Their grass huts far behind, over the widening waters, 5 Were coaxed, starved into song; 6 Their legs and feet whipped into dancing 7 Into ghastly imitations of joy....

8 And in the rice marshes, and the cotton rows, 9 Or cutting and grinding cane, or on the levee wharves 10 How they sang, commanded by overseers and drivers: 11 Juba, Juba

[Page 202 ]

12 Gonna raise a ruckus tonight 13 Mas'r bought a yaller gal 14 He bought her from the south 15 Look away, look away: 16 Coonjine!

17 And how, on Mr. Harriman's line, 18 Mr. Jaygoozi's, Mr. Jim Hill's, 19 The Polacks with their guitars 20 The Dagoes with their accordians, 21 The Hunkies with their fiddles 22 The Dutchies with their zithers 23 The niggers with their banjoes 24 Forgot the bitterness of the driving days 25 Raising their songs 26 So the steel roads girded the prairies.

27 And how, in the tabernacles 28 Before the rancid soup, the lusty song must be raised 29 Jesus' blood can make me whole 30 Before the knotty mattress of the flophouse 31 Could creak beneath the wobbly's aching bones 32 There is a happy land, 33 Far, far away

34 And how the Y.M.C.A. boys over the hot chocolate 35 Tried to whip up a musical sweat 36 With "Good morning, Mr. Zip, Zip, Zip, 37 With your hair cut just as short as mine" 38 Wheedled ferocity with "Keep your head down, Fritzy boy" 39 Paid off religious dues: "Onward Christian soldiers" 40 (But the boys slogging through the mudholes, 41 tumbling in bravado to their deaths, 42 With a song on their lips, or in despair 43 Drunkenness or sick fear at their triphammer hearts 44 The brave, the brave, flung smack in the teeth of death, 45 Planked square between the eyes of death 46 A ribald chorus: 47 Mademoiselle from Armentieres 48 Parley-vous 49 Hinky, dinky, parley-vous.)

[Page 203 ]

50 Remember.... 51 Oh makers of America, oh meeters in board rooms 52 So that the mines will stay open, the sweat shops awake, 53 The factory wheels be whirring, the cranes traveling, 54 The harvests be threshed and the freight cars loaded,

55 Teach the evicted veteran 56 His paltry few sticks and boards on the sidewalk 57 Their disrepair shameful to him 58 Teach him to carry the lead 59 Of "Home, Sweet Home"

60 Teach the breadlines, waiting for the gruel, 61 Stamping their paper thin soles 62 Against the biting coldness of the concrete 63 To sing four part chorus to America, The Beautiful

64 O makers of America, so that America be made 65 Give to us bread and circuses, 66 And raise us a song!

[Page 204 ]

Brown, Sterling Allen, 1901-1989 : Colloquy

1 "It's been a long time since we got together, Sam." 2 "A long time? I don't know when we did befo'." 3 "Sure you remember when we was kids, 4 Long time ago?"

5 "I recollec' how you chased me and my brothers 6 Out of de crick; an' I recollec' when 7 You rocked us through Cottontown clean cross de railroad--- 8 We didn't get together, then.

9 "We didn't get together 'cause we niggers ran too fast. 10 We knew we'd keep our health a little better if we run, 11 That's about all de gettin' together 12 You an' me's ever done."

13 "Reckon you'se right---we 'uns been tarnation onery, 14 But we didn't know no better, an' that time's past. 15 I got to stop my pitchin' rocks, an' you---you got to trust me, 16 An' not run away so fas'.

17 "The bosses got us both where de bosses want us 18 An' dey's squeezin' us both an' dey won't let go. 19 We gotta get together, we gotta jerk from under 20 Or else we are goners, bo."

21 "I coulda told you, long ago, Mist' Charlie, 22 Bein' onery wan't no way you should behave, 23 When both of us got more'n our share of misery 24 From rockin' cradle to de lastin' grave."

25 "Shake hands, Sam. We'll be buddies now. 26 An' do our scrappin' side by side from this." 27 "Well, here's my hand. I never gave it before, 28 Scared I might draw back a wrist.

29 "But dere's hard times comin'---wuss'n hard times now. 30 An' in de hard times dat I recollec'

[Page 205 ]

31 De whites stood together on top of our shoulders 32 An' give it to us square in de neck.

33 "So I tells you like de bull frog say unto de eagle, 34 Flyin' cross de stone quarry high in de sky, 35 Don't do it, big boy, don't do it to me--- 36 Not when wese up so high...."

[Page 206 ]

Brown, Sterling Allen, 1901-1989 : Street Car Gang

1 For the bread for the children, 2 The cheap shoes, the overcoat, 3 For the rent, for the number runner, 4 The insurance dues, 5 The shot of gin, the earrings for the broad 6 The Saturday dance 7 The new strings on the guitar: 8 The drill splattering the asphalt 9 The shovelfuls of rock 10 The picks, the creaking of wheelbarrows

11 For the finishing academy 12 The golf courses, the jodhpurs 13 The country club soirees, 14 The clipped coupons 15 From the drill, the picks, the shovels, 16 The trembling jerks in the arms, 17 The shattering, persistent, in the nerves, 18 The metallic tattoo upon the eardrums 19 Man, las' night it was jes' too much 20 Man, I couldn't get no sleep at all;

21 From the trip to Europe

22 The cold gray daybreak 23 The soggy lunch 24 Salt sweats in the mouth 25 Dried sweat upon the faded shirt 26 For the divorce fees 27 For the kept lady's apartment

28 The aching bones, the embittered heart 29 For the bread for the children 30 The self abasement, when the dressed up frails and dudes 31 Shrink in the crowded car 32 The bravado of the loud guffaw 33 Of the switchblade reasserting manhood 34 Of the canned heat for forgetting

35 For the food for the kids 36 The perfume for the broad 37 The dime for the pastor

[Page 207 ]

38 But from the drill, as well, 39 From the pick, the shovel: 40 The banded arms; the corded shoulders, 41 The will, trained to doggedness 42 He's a young'un, 43 But he can take it 44 The hope, sucking strength from bitterness 45 Caint stay this way forever: 46 And a strengthening mind 47 Taking stock of the weaklings 48 On top now by luck or craft 49 There's something here going on wrong 50 By Gawd we do the work 51 By Gawd we earn the pay 52 And someday the will and the mind 53 Drilling through concrete: 54 By Gawd we do the work 55 What come from it is ours 56 We got us one more job: 57 This thing been messed up too long 58 Time to get these rails laid straight.

59 We better get it 60 Fixed up 61 Right.

[Page 208 ]

Brown, Sterling Allen, 1901-1989 : Side by Side

I. RAILROAD CUT

1 Listen, John Cracker; hear me, Joe Nigg. 2 You on one side of the railroad, you on the other. 3 This railroad track is no final separation. 4 This eighteen foot cut isn't a canyon.

5 Your shanty is shaky, John, the roof is leaky, 6 The same wind whistles through yours and Joe's.

7 And grits, and molasses like grease for belts, 8 And chicory coffee and collards like jimson 9 Are the same on both sides of the track. 10 And the side meat comes from the same place on the hog.

11 And sweat and filth 12 Are not so different 13 Even on the preferred side of the track.

14 Bridges can be stretched, have been stretched across railroads 15 Especially over one horse lines like this.

II. THE TRAIN

1 Take the train, John; get on board, Joe.

2 Where do you ride it, where does it take you? 3 A few miles down the road to a funeral. 4 "I been down to Gainesville to bury my mother." 5 It takes you a few miles up to a marriage. 6 "But how thay gonna make out? Jim ain't got no job." 7 It rolls you to a frolic, a protracted meeting, 8 A corn-drinking spree, a hot old time in the town, 9 It carries you both, safely handcuffed, to jail.

10 Listen, John, does Joe's riding up front in the Jimmy 11 Sweeten so much the dull grits of your days?

[Page 209 ]

12 When you get where you're going, are you not still 13 John the po' cracker, Joe the po' nig?

14 Is it so much to rare back for a hot minute's riding 15 First class, while Joe rares back in his half-a-car. 16 Save up a week's wages, plank it down for a ticket 17 Shut your way back to the Pullman and diners. 18 The classy folks propped up back there 19 Want the conductor to move you back to your coach.

III. SCRATCHED

1 I heard a pool-room philosopher cracking: 2 "Po' whites is the cue-ball, niggers the eight-ball, 3 Cue-ball knocked the eight-ball sprang in the pocket 4 Then scratch itself; so eightball and cueball 5 Both in the pocket, and the game is done."

IV. HALLELUJAH HALLELU

1 Your unpainted, ramshackly churches stand 2 Side by side, Lord, side by side.

3 In one John hears of hell for sinners, 4 Of heaven for the hard-worked, meek, long-suffering; 5 In the other Joe hears of heaven bright heaven, 6 For the meek, long-suffering, hard-worked, 7 And of hell for sinners.

8 John Cracker knows that hell gapes wide for Joe. 9 Joe Nigg believes hell is hungry for John.

10 John's hardshelled religious is a little harder, 11 Lacquered over with Calvin and John Knox;

12 Joe's hard-shell is a bit thinner and lined 13 With a few strange tracings from Africa.

14 And both of you shout and both of you writhe 15 And your preachers black and white pound on the Bible,

[Page 210 ]

16 Stamp on the pulpit, preach a seventh day hell, 17 Make you forget the hell of six days.

V. FACTORY

1 John in his blue denim, and faded gray shirt, 2 Joe in his gray faded shirt and blue denim, 3 I have seen you burst forth from the factory 4 When the Abe Lincoln noon-whistle blasted you free, 5 For one hot hour; I have seen you peering 6 Into lunch-pails, hoping for surprise. 7 John on this lading platform, Joe on the other, 8 Separate still.

9 But the hour was only sixty minutes for John, 10 The bucket of lunch still poor fuel for burning 11 In the pay envelope that John draws there is little 12 More than Joe's pittance, but it serves, it serves 13 Not John, but the men in tall office building

14 Sipping their highballs beneath turning fans, 15 The men at the golf-course, at the country-clubs, 16 The men in the buffet cars, diners and Pullmans.

17 Let the white workers strike, will break it with niggers 18 Then let the niggers if they dare.

19 They know how to keep you separate, separate, 20 Poor white trash and nigger trash, side by side.

VI. THE WOMEN-FOLK

1 John Cracker, your daughters, barefoot through the day, 2 Put on silk stockings and shoes and gay print dresses, 3 Go down to the station to see the evening mail go through. 4 They stand on the cinders and wave to the engineer.

5 Joe Nigg, your daughters, barefoot through the day, 6 Put on silk stocking and shoes and gay print dresses,

[Page 211 ]

7 Go down to the station to see the evening mail go through. 8 From the stack of crossties they wave to the Pullman porters and waiters.

9 Both are hungry for more than the men they know, 10 Standing on cinders, or sitting on crossties; 11 Side by side.

12 Your wives, Mrs. John Cracker and Aunt Josey Nigg, 13 Two women forgotten on a Georgia clay slope, 14 Sometimes cross the railroad divide 15 Ignore the whistle that blows far away, 16 The smudge of smoke down the line, 17 Forget sometimes and talk.

18 Aunt Josey knows what to do for sick children, 19 Mrs. John has a new way to fix up greens.

20 Mrs. John's first son is making time on the roads of the county, 21 Aunt Josey's boy is picking cotton on a convict farm. 22 They may meet yet in Fulton Tower, 23 Side by side, Lord, side by side.

VII. MOB

1 A nigger killed a white man in the neighborhood 2 The nigger was shot up and then hung out 3 For the blood to dry, a black sponge dripping red. 4 John, you were in the mob, and what did it get you?

5 The killed man is just as dead as the lynched, 6 And both busted hell wide, wide open, 7 And side by side, Lord, side by side.

VIII. MUSIC

1 You on your side, on your harmonica, 2 Mix mournful blues with hill-billy tunes; 3 Joe sings Barbara Allen with some Tom-Tom swing.

[Page 212 ]

4 John sings of a knight coming riding, riding 5 With rings and gold and gear; 6 Joe sings to a guitar of a sweet chariot 7 Swinging low for to carry him home.

8 Listen, John: 9 The son you looked for to ransom you, 10 To pay up the rent, to fill the cupboard, 11 He did not come home, riding in triumph, 12 The train brought the poor linthead home to die.

13 Listen Joe: 14 That sweet chariot is running late

15 Either they've taken it off the line, 16 Or routed it somewheres else.

17 Listen, John: 18 But you will probably never listen, 19 Your ears have been deafened by the roar so long, 20 You have told yourself there is nothing Joe can say 21 But "Yessuh" and "Nawsuh," and "Be right there, Mister John"

22 You have never got around to it, John, 23 Either to listening or thinking.

24 But Joe has said it, in moments when fear 25 Did not catch his tongue and throttle his breath: 26 "Mr. John, Mr. John 27 We cain't never make it dis way at all."

28 Listen, John Cracker, 29 Joe Nigg, I've an earful for yo.

[Page 213 ]

Part Six

Brown, Sterling Allen, 1901-1989 : Let Us Suppose

1 Let us suppose him differently placed, 2 In wider fields than these bounded by bayous 3 And the fringes of moss-hung trees 4 Over which, in lazy spirals, the caranchos soar and dip.

5 Let us suppose these horizons pushed farther, 6 So that his eager mind, 7 His restless senses, his swift eyes, 8 Could glean more than the sheaves he stored 9 Time and time again: 10 Let us suppose him far away from here.

[Page 214 ]

11 Or let us, keeping him here, suppose him 12 More submissive, less ready for the torrents of hot Cajun speech, 13 The clenched fist, the flushed face, 14 The proud scorn and the spurting anger, 15 The proper slant to his neck, the eyes abashed, 16 Let us suppose his tender respect for his honor 17 Calloused; his debt to himself outlawed. 18 Let us suppose him what he could never be. 19 Let us suppose him less thrifty, 20 Less the hustler from early morning until first dark, 21 Let us suppose his corn weedy, 22 His cotton rusty, scantily fruited, and his fat mules poor, 23 His cane a sickly yellow 24 Like his white neighbor's.

25 Let us suppose his burnt brick color, 26 His shining hair thrown back from his forehead, 27 His stalwart shoulders, his lean hips, 28 His gently fused patois of Cajun, Indian, African, 29 Let us suppose these less urgent 30 To her, who might have been less lonesome, 31 Less driven by Louisiana heat, by lone flat days. 32 And less hungry.

33 Let us suppose his full-throated laugh 34 Less repulsive to the crabbed husband, 35 Let us suppose his swinging strides 36 Less of an insult to the half-alive scarecrow 37 Of the neighboring fields: 38 Let us suppose him less fermenting to hate.

39 Let us suppose that there had been 40 In this tiny forgotten parish, among these lost bayous, 41 No imperative need 42 Of preserving unsullied, Anglo-Saxon mastery.

43 Let us suppose--- 44 Oh, let us suppose him alive.

[Page 215 ]

Brown, Sterling Allen, 1901-1989 : Cloteel

1 Cloteel: 2 Rampart Street knows you now: the golden 3 decked saloons

4 The curtained off rooms, behind the latticed 5 windows

6 The late morning sun creeps through 7 In warm bars upon your half-stirring, 8 cream-skinned body

9 Your eyes have grown bold and direct and 10 your twisted mouth

11 Is quick with pitiless speech.

12 Only now and again, across the jangling 13 The loud strut cries, the jets of laughter, 14 High pitched quarreling, the drunken yells 15 The klaxons and the sirens, the grinding of 16 trucks

17 The clatter of rickety wagons, 18 Over and beyond the whistles blasting 19 noon

[Page 216 ]

Brown, Sterling Allen, 1901-1989 : Parish Doctor

1 They come to him for subscriptions 2 They resent examination, investigation 3 They tell him what is wrong with them, 4 They know .

5 It is pus on de heart, hole in de head 6 The maul is open, they got stummatache, 7 Somebody let some night air in the battens. 8 They want him only to subscribe, 9 The medcins: bitter-bitter is the best.

10 "Docteur, I doan b'leeve you can do nottin 11 fuh me

12 I got a snake in me. I know, me, I been 13 spelled.

14 You laugh, mon? I tell you son, a snake he in 15 my inside."

16 He tells them he's the best conjuh doctor, best 17 for roots and herbs,

18 North of New Orleans. They pop their eyes;

19 "You tink he know dose ting for true?"

20 They drink the boiled juices of a jit black hen 21 For diarrhea, for consumption 22 They kill a jit black dog, bury him three days, 23 then cook him

24 And oil the ailing person with the grease; 25 For rheumatism they kill a turkey buzzard, 26 Dry him up; rub the stiff jints with the mess. 27 But jit black dogs and caranchos are none 28 too plentiful. 29 They come to see their docteur, when these fail.

[Page 217 ]

30 They like him; young, good-looking, easy laugher, 31 As brown as they and one of theirs forever. 32 The women call him cher: tender but embarrassed. 33 Their good men pass sly glances at his 34 clipped moustache.

35 They think he lies about the conjuh knowledge 36 But still he got sharp eyes, you never know. 37 They pay him off with garden truck and cane 38 juice.

39 One auntie brought him six hens tied together 40 Squawking and screaming enough to wake a 41 graveyard.

42 One hen was jit-black to help him fix his 43 medcins.

44 One night, past midnight, we jolted twelve miles to 45 a cabin

46 It seemed as if the Lord would never make it. 47 "Tank Gawd, you'se here. I tole'em you would 48 get here.

49 He's hurted bad. He caught a bullet in his laig. 50 Tank Gawd, you'se come." In the dull light of 51 the lamp.

52 I watched his skillful probing for the slug. 53 Outside the ring of light, dark faces watched us, 54 His fingers were deft and gentle. The woman's 55 sobbing

56 Quieted; the man on the table lay there 57 sweating

58 Breathing heavily, but trusting; his eyes rolled 59 Following the hands.

[Page 218 ]

Brown, Sterling Allen, 1901-1989 : Uncle Joe

1 Unc' Joe, c'est drôle .

2 "Hot dawg it, but it's hot-hot dis mawnin. 3 I wouldn't pick a pon' uh cotton today. 4 Not fuh all de money in de Opelousas Bank. 5 How you feel, yosef, son? 6 Lemme try some uh yo' store bought tobacco. 7 Umph. Cocktail tobacco." 8 He filled his corncob and, grinning, 9 Dropped the generous leavings in his shirt pocket.

10 He worked away on his letter beneath the fig-tree. 11 "Son," he called. "Is they uh a in eight? 12 No? I thought it didn't add up right. 13 I always wanted to go to one uh dem 14 Universaries and other high schools. 15 Yo sho' dat you a teacher? 16 You doan ack much like a teacher to me. 17 You ain't got, nohow, de teacher's talk. 18 Mos' times, I can make out tings wat you say. 19 My boy he went to school, my gal she graduate. 20 We got de picture in the parlor. Sho. I read printing but not writing; 21 I can speak Créole and Américain. 22 Bon Dieu me péni . How you make dat out? 23 See, you don't know. Me, I knows good. 24 I talk Américain so you kin make me out. 25 I 'member when ole man Thibodeaux he say, 26 Old Thibodeaux, he brother to sheriff uh dis parish, 27 He beg me, 'Joe, don't send yo' chillen to school. 28 Don't luh 'em to read.' He so sad he mos' cry. 29 But me? I pay Thibodeaux no mind at all, at all.

30 "Me, I doan pay nobody no mind. Not too much mind. 31 I 'member when de sheriff and dem others, 32 Git hot after de boy from de penitentiary 33 I see de game-leg boy when he bust in de thicket. 34 Ole sheriff Thibodeaux and de others ride up, 35 De moonlight jes a glittin' on dey long gun bar'ls. 36 Dey axe me 'Where he?' and I say 'Who he?' 37 An' Didee Lebon he say luh him

[Page 219 ]

38 Rawhide it outa old Unc' Joe. And Unc' Joe 39 He jes' look at Didee and he say to de sheriff, 40 'You have two men to hunt on dis trip if Didee 41 Lay a rawhide on me, or a finger, too.' And dey depart on dey horses. 42 And soon I hear de guns go 'Clap-Boom, Clap-Boom!' 43 An' when I went to de Cath'lic Church at Villeplatte 44 Wid my mother, she daid now, the good God forgive me 45 Do red-bones---who dey? De Cajans is red-bones, 46 We call 'em crawfish eaters, powder pans, red-bones 47 Mean enough to be called anyting you got mind to. 48 So one Sunday on de way home dey surround us 49 In our buggy, and throw up dey big hats 50 To scare our mule, but our mule don't scare good. 51 And at Papa Lastrape's gate dey put up a rail. 52 And gimme de dare to take it down. 53 Dey had dey shotguns across dey saddles, 54 But dey had to have some good reason to mob us up, 55 Cause dey hadn't so long left Father Antoine. 56 Well, I ain't scared, an' my ma she don't scare. 57 I didn't say nottin'. She didn't say nottin'! 58 But I had heart enough to take de rail down. 59 So dey talked aroun', den dey galloped off whoopin' 60 Into de woods, an' a shootin' dey guns. 61 Den, dey luh us alone. But me I'm Baptist now."

62 He looked at me, and grinned, and then I grinned. 63 "You know, I gret big liar, me," he said. 64 "But still I kin do what I gots to do. 65 And dats no lie." And me, I knew it wasn't.

66 Unc' Joe, c'est drôle . 67 Uncle Joe is all right by me.

[Page 220 ]

Brown, Sterling Allen, 1901-1989 : Louisiana Pastoral

1 "I gots to be gon now; we ding potaht."

2 I remember her in her too large overalls 3 Her sweet brown face shadow-darkened by the huge blue bonnet

4 She clambered in the wagon with the sacks and ploughs. 5 Her husband waved me "howdo" and "Aur'voir."

6 Her house was full of jolies petis filles 7 In her yard the crepe myrtles were in flower.

8 Over the lush green fields, past the strutting ram 9 And his inquisitive awe, over the drying black mud gulley 10 The wagon bumped and rattled; once, nearly thrown, she grabbed 11 Her husband's arm, a soft laugh floated back.

12 Oh little child mother; oh peti belle Creole 13 May your bon Dieu keep you your happiness....

[Page 221 ]

Part Seven

Brown, Sterling Allen, 1901-1989 : Glory, Glory

1 When Annie Mae Johnson condescends to take the air, 2 Give up all your business, make haste to get there, 3 Glory oh glory, get there, be there.

4 The last time I saw Annie on the avenue, 5 She held up traffic for an hour or two. 6 The green light refused, absolutely, to go off at all; 7 And the red light and the amber nearly popped the glass, 8 When Annie walked by, they came on so fast, 9 Then stayed on together twenty minutes after she went past; 10 And it took three days for to get them duly timed again. 11 Even so, they palpitated every now and then.

[Page 222 ]

12 A driver of a coal truck turned his head around, 13 Watching her walk and knocked an old man down, 14 Old man's weak eyes had been dazzled by the gorgeous sight; 15 Po' man collapsed and he heaved a sigh, 16 Said, "Lord, I'm willin' at the last to die, 17 Cause my state is blessed, everything's all right, 18 Happy, Lord, happy, yes happy am I."

19 Saw a Rock Creek Bridge car jump off the track, 20 Do the shim-sham shimmy and come reeling back; 21 Saw a big steam roller knocked clean off its base, 22 When it got itself together, the little Austin had its place.

23 Ambulance came a-clanging, the fire truck banging, 24 Police patrol a-sailing, the sirens all wailing, 25 Parked any whichaway and turned their headlights high, 26 With their engines just a purring, till Annie Mae tipped on by.

27 Folks gathered from the manors, swarmed in from the alleys, 28 Deserted their pool-rooms, rushed out of their lodges, 29 Some took taxis to get them to the place on time; 30 Way the preachers left their congregations was a holy crime. 31 Twixt Uncle Ham's sonny boys and Aunt Hagar's daughters 32 Just like Daddy Moses through the Red Sea Waters, 33 Annie Johnson made a path, as she laid it on the frazzling line; 34 The dark waves parted, and then they closed in behind.

35 Aaanh, Lord, when Annie Mae lays it down, 36 If you want to take the census proper, better come around.

[Page 223 ]

Brown, Sterling Allen, 1901-1989 : Choices

1 Don't want no yaller gal, dat's a color will not stay, 2 Don't want no yaller, yaller nevah known to stay, 3 Git caught in a storm, de yaller sho' will fade away.

4 Don't want no pretty pink, pink ain't de shade fo' me, 5 Don't want no pretty pink, pink it ain't de shade fo' me. 6 When you think you's got her, ain't nuffin' but yo' used to be.

7 Don't want no black gal, gums blue lak de sea, 8 Don't want no blue gums, blue jus' lak de deep blue sea, 9 Fraid that when I kiss her, bluine run all over me.

10 Don't want no brownskin, choklit to de bone, 11 Don't want no brownskin, choklit to de bone, 12 Choklit melts jes lak vanilla, and runs all out de cone.

13 Don't want no charcoal, soot's a mess what I despise, 14 Don't want no charcoal, soot's a mess what I despise, 15 Want to know whah my gal's at, anytime she shets her eyes.

16 Don't want no Geechie gal, talkin' lak a nachel zoo, 17 Don't want no Geechie, talkin' lak a nachel zoo, 18 Jabber lak a monkey, make a monkey outa you.

19 Don't care for de Ofays, got no dealins wif Miss Ann, 20 Don't care for de Ofay, got no dealins wif Miss Ann, 21 Don't lak her brother Hemp, nor her cousin Mr. Cool Oil Can.

22 Don't want me no Injin, no Injin squaw of red, 23 Don't want me no Injin, no Injin squaw of red, 24 Ain't got much hair, want it left on top my frazzly head.

25 Don't want no blue woman, moanin' wid de lonesome blues, 26 Don't want no blue woman, moanin' wid de graveyard blues, 27 Got mo' blues myself now dan a man could evah use.

28 Gonna git me a green gal, if a green gal's to be found, 29 Git me a green gal, if a green gal is to be found, 30 But I spec' she ain't born yet, and her mama she in the ground.

[Page 224 ]

Brown, Sterling Allen, 1901-1989 : No More Worlds to Conquer

1 My boy Alec is a smart bootlegger 2 He's a race man now and not anybody's Nigger, 3 And the cars he rides in get bigger and bigger.

4 He started with a Kettle, and he peddled in a Ford 5 But now he is reaping his well earned reward, 6 With a Packard for himself and a Hudson for his broad.

7 He moves from the slums to the dickty section 8 And his shrewd advance in the right direction 9 Makes chances slim for Alexander's detection.

10 And now he has for customers Senators and such, 11 He admits his early comrades don't amount to much, 12 So now he barely speaks to his old boy Dutch.

13 He forgets the cooncan, and Georgia skin he played, 14 For the sake of contract contacts he has made, 15 And his stomps become 'bals' in the Colonade.

16 He sees a poor drunk on Florida Avenue 17 And is pierced by nausea through and through 18 And he wonders what the race is coming to.

19 MORAL

20 If we only had the brains that are his, 21 We too could be great like my boy is 22 Magnates in the world's great businesses!

[Page 225 ]

Brown, Sterling Allen, 1901-1989 : Call Boy

1 Git out o' bed, you rascals, 2 Take it up from de covers, 3 Bring it to de strawboss 4 Fast as you can; 5 Down to de railroads 6 De day is beginnin', 7 An' day never waited 8 Fo' no kinda man.

9 Sun's jes a-peekin' 10 Over top o' de mountains, 11 An' de fogclouds a-liftin' 12 Fo' de break of day; 13 Number Forty-four's pantin', 14 Takin' on coal an' water, 15 An' she's strainin' ready 16 Fo' to git away.

17 Leave yo' wives an' yo' sweethearts, 18 Yo' pink and yo' yaller, 19 Yo' blue black and stovepipe, 20 Yo' chocolate brown; 21 All you backbitin' rascals, 22 Leave de other men's women, 23 De night crew from de roundhouse 24 Is a-roundin' roun'.

25 O you shifters and humpers, 26 You boiler washers, 27 You oilers and you greasers 28 Of de drivin' rods, 29 You switchers and flagmen, 30 Tile layers and tampers, 31 Youse wanted at de Norfolk 32 And Western yards.

33 You cooks got to cook it 34 From here to Norfolk, 35 You waiters got to dish it 36 From here to Tennessee,

[Page 226 ]

37 You porters got to run 38 From here to Memphis, 39 Gotta bring de man's time, 40 Dontcha see, dontcha see?

41 De air may be cold, an' 42 Yo' bed may be easy, 43 Yo' babe may be comfy 44 An' warm by yo' side; 45 But don't snore so loud 46 Dat you can't hear me callin', 47 Don't ride no nightmare, 48 Dere's engines to ride.

49 Git up off o' yo shirt-tails, 50 You dumb lazy rounders, 51 Think I'm gonna let you 52 Sleep all day? 53 Bed has done ruint 54 Dem as can't leave it, 55 You knows you can't make it 56 Actin' datway....

[Page 227 ]

Brown, Sterling Allen, 1901-1989 : Puttin' on Dog

1 Look at old Scrappy puttin' on dog, 2 Puttin' on dog, puttin' on dog, 3 Look at old Scrappy puttin' on dog, 4 Steppin' like nobody's business.

5 With a brandnew silk shirt pink as a sunset, 6 With a pair of suspenders blue as the sky, 7 With bulldog brogans red as a clay road--- 8 Pull up, mule wagons, let the mail train by.

9 Look at old Scrappy puttin' on dog, 10 Puttin' on dog, puttin' on dog, 11 Look at old Scrappy puttin' on dog, 12 Todle-oh-in' with his Jane.

13 Rared back at the wheel with his arm around his baby, 14 Heads his old flivver out of the town, 15 And Buck's mad enough to chew a fistful of staples, 16 And drink Sloan's liniment to wash 'em down.

17 Look at old Scrappy puttin' on dog, 18 Puttin' on dog, puttin' on dog, 19 Look at old Scrappy puttin' on dog, 20 Down in Pap Silas' poolroom.

21 He's about to use English on the lonesome eight ball 22 Stops short when he hears what Buck has said, 23 Winds up like Babe Ruth aimin' for a homer 24 And bends his cuestick around Buck's head.

25 Look at old Scrappy puttin' on dog, 26 Puttin' on dog, puttin' on dog, 27 Look at old Scrappy puttin' on dog, 28 Bustin' rock on the county road.

29 He laughed with his lawyers, and he winked at the judge, 30 Stuck his fingers up his nose at the jury in the dock, 31 Waved good-by to the gals when they sent him to the workgang, 32 And even had his own way of bustin' up rock.

[Page 228 ]

33 Look at old Scrappy puttin' on dog, 34 Puttin' on dog, puttin' on dog, 35 Look at old Scrappy puttin' on dog, 36 Callin' for the bad man Buck.

37 Buck saw him comin', pulled his thirty-two forty, 38 Got him once in the arm, and twice in the side; 39 Scrappy switched his gat, like they do it in the Western, 40 And let the daylight into Buck's black hide.

41 Look at old Scrappy puttin' on dog, 42 Puttin' on dog, puttin' on dog, 43 Look at old Scrappy puttin' on dog, 44 Waitin' for the undertaker's wagon.

45 In his box-back coat and his mutt-leg britches, 46 And a collar high enough for to choke a ox; 47 And the girls stopped cryin' when they saw how Scrappy 48 Was a-puttin' on dog in a pinewood box.

49 O you rascal, puttin' on dog, 50 Puttin' on dog, puttin' on dog, 51 O you rascal, puttin' on dog, 52 Great Gawd, but you was a man!

[Page 229 ]

Part Eight

Brown, Sterling Allen, 1901-1989 : April in Coolwell

1 I know that I shall never see the rain 2 Sift like a mist through snowbloomed apple trees, 3 Shall never hear this fluting song again 4 Without remembering swift joys like these. 5 Two happy children in this dreamy weather, 6 Gypsy and impudent, loved hotly here, 7 Forecasting sure that soon, no more together 8 We straggle through less lucky seasons, dear.

9 Whatever then my weariness, despair, 10 Will be laid by; oh always then for me 11 A trim ghost running lightly here and there

[Page 230 ]

12 On wet turf strewn with petals; carefree laughter 13 Will blend with wind and rain forever after, 14 And I shall well recall our Arcady....

[Page 231 ]

Brown, Sterling Allen, 1901-1989 : Coolwell Vignette

(FROM VIRGINIA WOODS)

1 There is not much that he would ask for now. 2 The axe whirls in the air, pauses, descends, 3 Is buried deep in hardened locust fiber. 4 The slender handle quivers for a while 5 And then subsides. A broadened boyish smile 6 Lights up a face already glistening 7 From mist of sweat spread over ebony. 8 To novices who know so little how 9 A toughened log is split, who blundering 10 Excite derision with their futile swings 11 And glancing blows, he darts a look of pride; 12 And self content distends his large eyes wide. 13 What have we then that such a one can need? 14 The woods are his. He names each separate tree 15 And lives in intimacy such as we 16 Shall never know. The quietness is his, 17 The self sufficiency, and the raw strength....

18 And for a moment this is quite enough 19 To see the quivering of a shapely helve 20 Pine white against the brown of last year's leaves 21 This is his day,---his day of secrets hid.

22 Oh, never hope to manage half as well!... 23 His firm black arms, bare to the shoulders, and 24 His well set, high powered body, all these tell 25 His mastery to him, as well to us. 26 A sculptor here could find the very model 27 From which to carve a statue setting forth 28 Health, Zest for Living, or whatever thing 29 Makes man persist in holding on to Faith.

30 This husky, blueclad oldster, shining black 31 With dull thick hair, and widened happy eyes 32 Sure of his prowess, has in his own way 33 Things to reveal. Watch how the lengthy swing 34 Of axe brings all the muscles into play; 35 Yet without haste, or waste, or rest.

[Page 232 ]

36 We who 37 Belie ourselves in febrile gesturing 38 For praise, might learn from him, although we are wide. 39 He has done well what he was there to do. 40 Well, and with finish. There is nothing more.

[Page 233 ]

Brown, Sterling Allen, 1901-1989 : Honey Mah Love

1 "Time is unsportsmanlike with us," I said. 2 "For all the cherished, lovely things we dreamed 3 Grow so much smaller than they ever seemed---" 4 And you, turned bitter, bowed your delicate head 5 Not soon enough to hide your eyes' dark pain. 6 For Time, old gambler, shrewd and sleight of hand 7 Had dealt us dull days for the golden days we planned. 8 And then we heard old Banjo Sam, astrummin' down the inky lane--- 9 And the tinkling sounds came from his box as drops of silver sounding 10 rain.

11 He sang:

12 Wen de possum sets a eyein' 13 De las' simmon on de tree 14 I'll admit its sommut tryin' 15 But it sho doan worry me--- 16 Case I doan mess wid trouble 17 An trouble doan mess wid me 18 Honey mah love 19 I ain' no possum, see?

20 When de whippoorwill's a cryin' 21 In de lonely willer tree 22 It might staht some po' boy sighin' 23 But it sho doan worry me 24 Case I doan mess wid trouble 25 An trouble doan mess wid me 26 Honey mah love 27 I ain' no sad bird, see?

28 When de brand new moon's adrippin' 29 Yaller light on you an' me--- 30 Den mah heart, jes staht a skippin' 31 An doan nothin' worry me 32 Case I doan mess wid trouble 33 An trouble doan mess wid me 34 Honey mah love 35 We ain' no derned fools, see?

[Page 234 ]

36 We who have fretted our tired brains with fears 37 That time shall frustrate all our chosen dreams 38 We are rebuked by Banjo Sam's gay strains. 39 Oh Time may be less vicious than he seems; 40 And Troubles may grow weaker through the years--- 41 Nearly as weak as those Sam told us of.--- 42 Sam, strumming melodies to his honey love; 43 Sam, flouting Trouble in his inky lane. 44 Oh, I doan mess wid trouble....

45 Dear child 46 Someday there will be truce from quarreling. 47 And someday all our silly fears will cease. 48 Someday there will be ways that we shall learn 49 To bilk old clandestine Time, and to return 50 His cheats, with one on him. Oh we shall bring 51 Someday to our ecstatic worshipping 52 More than our fretting fervor; something nearer peace, 53 Something near the surety we have been dreaming of. 54 Happy at last.... Oh happy! Honey, mah love....

[Page 235 ]

Brown, Sterling Allen, 1901-1989 : Memories of Salem

(Note: This Salem is of Virginia, nigh unto Roanoke. This is a poem for Rose Anne. That was a name I gave her; I also called her a witch, for verily she had bewitched me. And still she does, after nearly a half century together. Verily a long lasting spell.)

1 Lean pinchbeck housewives pointed their fingers, 2 Shrilled out their curses on youth and on beauty 3 Formed an implacable league 4 (Martyred defenders of Virtue and Duty!) 5 They with their lank hair and time flattened breasts 6 And stringy flesh tying their bones up so tightly 7 What could they do but intrigue 8 To silence the merriment rippling so lightly 9 From the ripe mouth of one, all too lovely and young--- 10 Hating the songs that she sung 11 Hating the ground that she walked on.

12 Old snuffnosed parsons, spindleshanked, impotent, 13 Talked on, oh futilely, rabidly talked on 14 With psalmsinging voices stuck in their noses 15 Droned out their " Vanity, vanity, vanity! " 16 Having forgotten (how could they remember) 17 The wild winds of spring, and the fragrance of roses 18 Sodden themselves as a foggy November 19 Convinced at first hand of a worthless Humanity, 20 "Surely the girl is witchlike." (They spoke truth) 21 "Surely a girl so beautiful, lively 22 Leagues with the devil 23 Surely so musical a voice must be evil 24 (They with their sharp voices caught in their noses) 25 Surely her firm round breasts 26 Prithee cover them over! 27 Shall nurture the brats of old sin; oh, as surely 28 Shall pillow the head of an infidel lover 29 " Vanity of vanities; all is but vanity! " 30 (Even your platitudes, Reverend Fool!)

31 Thus in the old straitlaced days did the Parsons 32 Cry out on 'witches' and ironclad housewives

[Page 236 ]

33 Wild with unspeakable wrath did insanely 34 Clamor for vengeance on any wild beauties 35 Living their happier lives.... 36 ...

37 What is the wonder 38 That we today on their chocked Sunday mornings 39 Laugh at the churchgoers frowning and whispering 40 (Who killed off our parents but could not kill us) 41 And our laughter is vengeance enough for us two 42 And vengeance enough that we seek (while they finger 43 Their prayerbooks, their pennies) the spring attend open 44 The rose scented woodland---where lying at peace 45 On some hidden hill, far from crabbed age and gossip 46 My ragged head pillowed soft on your bosom--- 47 Oh drowning in the sunshine that streaks the deep auburn 48 Mass of your loosened hair---what could we do 49 Other than seek us our own magic worship 50 In our own way---to divulge wizardries 51 As we know best.... our laughter more musical 52 Than angry churchbells, clanking the distance, 53 Remonstrant, absurd--- 54 Than the voice of a parson 55 Bellowing like a foghorn, lost in heavy fog?

[Page 237 ]

Brown, Sterling Allen, 1901-1989 : Idyll

1 I found me a cranny of perpetual dusk. 2 There for the grateful sense was pungent musk 3 Of rotting leaves, and moss, mingled with scents 4 Of heavy clusters freighting foxgrape vines. 5 The sun was barred except at close of day 6 When he could weakly etch in changing lines 7 A filigree upon the silver trunks 8 Of maple and of poplar. There were oaks 9 Their black bark fungus-spotted, and there lay 10 An old wormeaten segment of gray fence 11 Tumbling in consonant long forgot decay. 12 Motionless the place save when a little wind 13 Rippled the leaves, and soundless too it was 14 Save for a stream nearly inaudible, 15 That made a short stay in closewoven grass 16 Then in elusive whispers bade farewell; 17 Save for the noise of birds, whistling security.

18 One afternoon I lay there drowsily 19 Steeped in the crannies' love benevolence; 20 Peaceful the far dreams I was dreaming of.... 21 Sharply a stranger whistle screeched above 22 Once then again. Nearly as suddenly 23 A hawk dove, swooping past the sagging fence 24 Past a short shrub, and like a heavy rock 25 Striking the ground. I started up, the hawk 26 Flew off unhurriedly with fine insolence, 27 On vigorous wings, and settled on the limb 28 Of a dead chestnut. His sentinel mate 29 Screeched down another cry, almost too late.

30 On the matting of the leaves, a small bird lay 31 Spattering blood and on the little stream 32 A fluff of blue feathers floated away. 33 The hawk awhile gazed at me, I at him--- 34 Splendid the corsair's breast and head of white 35 And dauntless, daring poise. Then with a cry 36 Frustrate, vindictive, he wheeled in graceful flight. 37 The wind stirred faintly, there was nothing more 38 Of sound, except a snatch of woodland song 39 As earlier. The stream purred listlessly along, 40 And all grew quite as peaceful as before.

[Page 238 ]

Brown, Sterling Allen, 1901-1989 : One Way of Taking Leave

1 We knew, the coming day would see us parted 2 After our too brief Eden, for too long--- 3 Oh we, so wise, so wise and brokenhearted--- 4 So pitiful, and so absurdly strong, ... 5 Therefore we rushed out, lest the wellknown room 6 Should wall us in with the old futility;--- 7 And tramped strange streets, where dimly, in the gloom 8 Huddled poor witches---no wretcheder than we.

9 The wan tired light crept in the livid skies, 10 And we turned homeward, turning from the light, 11 Bitter our unsaid words, empty our eyes, ... 12 We met the working people on the stair, 13 Who gazed askance at that 'same madcap pair' 14 Their light eyebrows saying 'A wild, wild night'....

[Page 239 ]

Brown, Sterling Allen, 1901-1989 : Isaiah To Mandy

1 Oh de wagon keeps a rollin' 2 All de sisters sing 3 An de hammers keeps a knockin' 4 An' de bells all ring---

5 An de preacher keeps a preachin' 6 Dat muh time come too 7 But he ain't let out no 'pinion 8 Dat I'll be wid you---

9 Oh dey say I'll see de angels 10 All a floppin roun de place 11 Dey don' tell me of no angel 12 Wid yo brownskin face

13 But I knows no wings kin ca'y 14 Any folks aroun 15 Mo lively dan yo' struttin 16 When de Charleston soun'

17 Dey'll be tinklin brass and cymbal 18 An de guitar too 19 I don't want no music p'tikler 20 Thout I dance wid you

21 An' de vittels dey is righteous 22 An' de drinkins fine dey say 23 Well, I ain't so hungry, honey 24 Not so ve'y dat away

25 Oh dis heaven dey all promises 26 An jes talks an talks about 27 Mought be fine fo dem as needs it 28 But, guess I kin do widout

29 All de eatin' an de drinkin' 30 An de shoutin' song 31 Don' min dyin; honey 32 But gotta stay too very long

[Page 240 ]

Brown, Sterling Allen, 1901-1989 : Conjured

1 "She done put huh little hands 2 On the back uh my head; 3 I cain't git away from her 4 Twill I'm dead.

5 "She done laid her little body 6 Beneaf my breast, 7 And I won't never 8 Git no rest.

9 "She done been in my arms 10 Twill the break of day 11 Won't never 12 Git away....

13 "She done put her little shoes 14 Underneaf my bed 15 Never git away from her 16 Twill I'm dead.

17 "Won't want to leave her 18 Then," he said. 19 "Oh, baby, gotta lay 20 So long 21 Alone...."

[Page 241 ]

Brown, Sterling Allen, 1901-1989 : Long Track Blues

1 Went down to the yards 2 To see the signal lights come on; 3 Looked down the track 4 Where my lovin' babe done gone.

5 Red light in my block, 6 Green light down the line; 7 Lawdy, let yo' green light 8 Shine down on that babe o' mine.

9 Heard a train callin' 10 Blowin' long ways down the track; 11 Ain't no train due here, 12 Baby, what can bring you back?

13 Brakeman tell me 14 Got a powerful ways to go; 15 He don't know my feelin's 16 Baby, when he's talkin' so.

17 Lanterns a-swingin', 18 An' a long freight leaves the yard; 19 Leaves me here, baby, 20 But my heart it rides de rod.

21 Sparks a flyin', 22 Wheels rumblin' wid a mighty roar; 23 Then the red tail light, 24 And the place gets dark once more.

25 Dog in the freight room 26 Howlin' like he los' his mind; 27 Might howl myself, 28 If I was the howlin' kind.

29 Norfolk and Western, 30 Baby, and the C. & O.; 31 How come they treat 32 A hardluck feller so?

[Page 242 ]

33 Red light in my block, 34 Green light down the line; 35 Lawdy, let yo' green light 36 Shine down on that babe o' mine.

NOTES

1. Back ^ [Note 1

Published by Harper & Row, 10 East 53rd Street, NY, NY 10022

Copyright © 1980 by Sterling A. Brown.

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