Selected Poems Read Online

The slow stroke of the clock of time
I had not heard.

’Tis hard to learn so late;
It seems no sad heart really learns,
But hopes and trusts and doubts and fears,
And bleeds and burns.

The night is not all dark,
Nor is the day all it seems,
But each may bring me this relief—
My dreams and dreams.

I had not known before
That Never was so sad a word,
So wrap me in forgetfulness—
I have not heard.

Parted

She wrapped her soul in a lace of lies,
With a prime deceit to pin it;
And I thought I was gaining a fearsome prize,
So I staked my soul to win it.

We wed and parted on her complaint,
And both were a bit of barter,
Tho’ I’ll confess that I’m no saint,
I’ll swear that she’s no martyr.

Christmas

Step wid de banjo an’ glide wid de fiddle,
Dis ain’ no time fu’ to pottah an’ piddle;
Fu’ Christmas is comin’, it’s right on de way,
An’ dey’s houahs to dance ’fo’ de break o’ de day.

What if de win’ is taihin’ an’ whistlin’?
Look at dat fiah how hit’s spittin’ an’ bristlin’!
Heat in de ashes an’ heat in de cindahs,
Ol’ mistah Fros’ kin des look thoo de windahs.

Heat up de toddy an’ pas’ de wa’m glasses,
Don’ stop to shivah at blowin’s an’ blas’es,
Keep on de kittle an’ keep it a-hummin’,
Eat all an’ drink all, dey’s lots mo’ a-comin’.
Look hyeah, Maria, don’t open dat oven,
Want all dese people a-pushin’ an’ shovin’?
Res’ f’om de dance? Yes, you done cotch dat odah,
Mammy done cotch it, an’ law! hit nigh flo’d huh;
’Possum is monst’ous fu’ mekin’ folks fin’ it!
Come, draw yo’ cheers up, I’s sho’ I do’ min’ it.
Eat up dem critters, you men folks an’ wimmens,
’Possums ain’ skace w’en dey’s lots o’ pu’simmons.

FROM HOWDY, HONEY, HOWDY 1905

“Howdy, Honey, Howdy!”

Do’ a-stan’in’ on a jar, fiah a-shinin’ thoo,
Ol’ folks drowsin’ ’roun’ de place, wide awake is Lou,
W’en I tap, she answeh, an’ I see huh ’mence to grin,
“Howdy, honey, howdy, won’t you step right in?”

Den I step erpon de log layin’ at de do’,
Bless de Lawd, huh mammy an’ huh pap’s done ’menced
to sno’,
Now’s de time, ef evah, ef I’s gwine to try an’ win,
“Howdy, honey, howdy, won’t you step right in?”

No use playin’ on de aidge, trimblin’ on de brink,
W’en a body love a gal, tell huh whut he t’ink;
W’en huh hea’t is open fu’ de love you gwine to gin,
Pull yo’se’f togethah, suh, an’ step right in.

Sweetes’ imbitation dat a body evah hyeahed,
Sweetah den de music of a lovesick mockin’-bird,
Comin’ f’om de gal you loves bettah den yo’ kin,
“Howdy, honey, howdy, won’t you step right in?”

At de gate o’ heaven w’en de storm o’ life is pas’,
’Spec’ I’ll be a-stan’in’, ’twell de Mastah say at las’,
“Hyeah he stan’ all weary, but he winned his fight wid sin.
Howdy, honey, howdy, won’t you step right in?”

Encouragement

Who dat knockin’ at de do’?
Why, Ike Johnson,—yes, fu’ sho!
Come in, Ike. I’s mighty glad
You come down. I t’ought you’s mad
At me ’bout de othah night,
An’ was stayin’ ’way fu’ spite.
Say, now, was you mad fu’ true
W’en I kin’ o’ laughed at you?
Speak up, Ike, an’ ’spress yo’se’f.

’T ain’t no use a-lookin’ sad,
An’ a-mekin’ out you’s mad;
Ef you’s gwine to be so glum,
Wondah why you evah come.
I don’t lak nobidy ’roun’
Dat jes’ shet dey mouf an’ frown,—
Oh, now, man, don’t act a dunce!
Cain’t you talk? I tol’ you once,
Speak up, Ike, an’ ’spress yo’se’f.

Wha’d you come hyeah fu’ to-night?
Body’d t’ink yo’ haid ain’t right.
I’s done all dat I kin do,—
Dressed perticler, jes’ fu’ you;
Reckon I’d ’a’ bettah wo’
My ol’ ragged calico.
Aftah all the pains I’s took,
Cain’t you tell me how I look?
Speak up, Ike, an’ ’spress yo’se’f.

Bless my soul! I ’mos’ fu’got
Tellin’ you ’bout Tildy Scott.
Don’t you know, come Thu’sday night,
She gwine ma’y Lucius White?
Miss Lize say I allus wuh
Heap sight laklier ’n huh;
An’ she’ll git me somep’n new,
Ef I wants to ma’y too.
Speak up, Ike, an’ ’spress yo’se’f.

I could ma’y in a week,
Ef de man I wants ’ud speak.
Tildy’s presents’ll be fine,
But dey wouldn’t ekal mine.
Him whut gits me fu’ a wife
’Ll be proud, you bet yo’ life.
I’s had offers; some ain’t quit;
But I hasn’t ma’ied yit!
Speak up, Ike, an’ ’spress yo’se’f.

Ike, I loves you,—yes, I does;
You’s my choice, and allus was.
Laffin’ at you ain’t no harm.—
Go ’way, dahky, whah’s yo’ arm?
Hug me closer—dah, dat’s right!
Wasn’t you a awful sight,
Havin’ me to baig you so?
Now ax whut you want to know,—
Speak up, Ike, an’ ’spress yo’se’f!

Twilight

’Twixt a smile and a tear,
’Twixt a song and a sigh,
’Twixt the day and the dark,
When the night draweth nigh.

Ah, sunshine may fade
From the heavens above,
No twilight have we
To the day of our love.

FROM JOGGIN’ ERLONG 1906

The Capture

Duck come switchin’ ’cross de lot
Hi, oh, Miss Lady!
Hurry up an’ hide de pot
Hi, oh, Miss Lady!
Duck’s a mighty ’spicious fowl,
Slick as snake an’ wise as owl;
Hol’ dat dog, don’t let him yowl!
Hi, oh, Miss Lady!

Th’ow dat co’n out kind o’ slow
Hi, oh, Miss Lady!
Keep yo’se’f behin’ de do’
Hi, oh, Miss Lady!
Lots o’ food’ll kill his feah,
Co’n is cheap but fowls is deah—
“Come, good ducky, come on heah.”
Hi, oh, Miss Lady!

Ain’t he fat and ain’t he fine,
Hi, oh, Miss Lady!
Des can’t wait to make him mine.
Hi, oh, Miss Lady!
See him waddle when he walk,
’Sh! keep still and don’t you talk!
Got you! Don’t you daih to squawk!
Hi, oh, Miss Lady!

UNCOLLECTED POEMS

Emancipation (1890)

Fling out your banners, your honors be bringing,
Raise to the ether your paeans of praise.
Strike every chord and let music be ringing!
Celebrate freely this day of all days.

Few are the years since that notable blessing,
Raised you from slaves to the powers of men.
Each year has seen you my brothers progressing,
Never to sink to that level again.

Perched on your shoulders sits Liberty smiling,
Perched where the eyes of the nations can see.
Keep from her pinions all contact defiling;
Show by your deeds what you’re destined to be.

Press boldly forward nor waver, nor falter.
Blood has been freely poured out in your cause,
Lives sacrificed upon Liberty’s altar.
Press to the front, it were craven to pause.

Look to the heights that are worth your attaining
Keep your feet firm in the path to the goal.
Toward noble deeds every effort be straining.
Worthy ambition is food for the soul!

Up! Men and brothers, be noble, be earnest!
Ripe is the time and success is assured;
Know that your fate was the hardest and sternest
When through those lash-ringing days you endured.
Never again shall the manacles gall you
Never again shall the whip stroke defame!
Nobles and Freemen, your destinies call you
Onward to honor, to glory and fame.

Welcome Address To the Western Association of Writers

“Westward the course of empire takes its way,”—
So Berkeley said, and so to-day
The men who know the world still say.
The glowing West, with bounteous hand,
Bestows her gifts throughout the land,
And smiles to see at her command
Art, science, and the industries,—
New fruits of new Hesperides.
So, proud are you who claim the West
As home land; doubly are you blest
To live where liberty and health
Go hand in hand with brains and wealth.
So here’s a welcome to you all,
Whate’er the work your hands let fall,—
To you who trace on history’s page
The footprints of each passing age;
To you who tune the laureled lyre
To songs of love or deeds of fire;
To you before whose well-wrought tale
The cheek doth flush or brow grow pale;
To you who bow the ready knee
And worship cold philosophy,—
A welcome warm as Western wine,
And free as Western hearts, be thine.
Do what the greatest joy insures,—
The city has no will but yours!

Comrade

Oh, comrade, comrade, I have missed you so!
The long, drear months still lagging come and go,
And I, I strive to fill them to the brim,
But still my heart cries out, But what of him?

To-night, I sat and pored o’er pages sere,
All filled with what we did and said last year;
And all the soul within me rose and cried,
And all the woman in me sobbed and sighed.

This day we sat beside a dimpling stream,
And hours flew by like moments in a dream;
And you and I, true comrades, laughed and played,
Nor deemed it long the while we fondly stayed.

These days we stood ’neath turquoise Western sky,
And breathed new life, sipped ozone from on high;
Did mem’ry ever smile and call to thee
Those long, sweet tramps of ours, of me and thee?

Then those long dreary hours you fought with death,
And I hung near and watched your feeble breath;
And those long evening hours you clasped my hand,
And watched the twilight creeping o’er the land.

We sat upon the shore and watched the sea,
Creep higher to the rocks e’er we did flee.
And erst we angled in the dimpling bay,
And proudly counted trophies, mind’st the day?

Oh, comrade, comrade, I have missed you so!
The long drear months still lagging come and go,
And I, I strive to fill them to the brim,
But still my heart cries out, But what of him?

We’ve lived through sorrow and we’ve lived through joy
Sweets, sweets we’ve tasted to our senses’ cloy;
And yet we’ve suffered sorrow to the deep,
Full bitterness of sorrow’s deadly heap.

Dost mind the books we read in other days?
Dost mind the foolish cards and little plays?
Dost mind the lilting music of our song?
Dost mind the winter eves, so sweet and long?

There is no other heart to beat with mine,
There is no other soul attuned like thine;
I miss the quick return of kindred fire,
These duller minds, oh comrade, quickly tire.

The dreary days pass on, I smile and smile,
My heart a-heavy, and soul tired the while;
The dreary nights in sleepless mis’ry creep
My soul a-cry to thine in anguish deep.

Our paths have parted, ne’er perhaps, to meet,
Your way goes west, mine east.