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Home  »  Poetry: A Magazine of Verse  »  Vachel Lindsay

Harriet Monroe, ed. (1860–1936). The New Poetry: An Anthology. 1917.

Booker Washington Trilogy

Vachel Lindsay

A Memorial to Booker T. Washington

IA NEGRO SERMON—SIMON LEGREE

(To be read in your own variety of negro dialect)

LEGREE’S big house was white and green.

His cotton-fields were the best to be seen.

He kept strong horses and fine swine.

He had cool jugs of cider and wine.

His garret was full of curious things:

Books of magic, bags of gold,

And rabbits’ feet on long twine strings.

But he went down to the Devil.

Legree he sported a brass-buttoned coat,

A snake-skin necktie, a blood-red shirt.

Legree he had a beard like a goat,

And a thick hairy neck and eyes like dirt.

His puffed-out cheeks were fish-belly white,

He had great long teeth and an appetite.

He ate raw meat ’most every meal,

And rolled his eyes till the cat would squeal.

His fist was an enormous size

To mash poor niggers that told him lies:

He was surely a witch-man in disguise.

But he went down to the Devil.

He wore hip-boots, and would wade all day

To capture his slaves who had fled away.

But he went down to the Devil.

He beat kind Uncle Tom to death,

Who prayed for Legree with his parting breath.

Then Uncle Tom to Eva flew,

To the high sanctoriums bright and new;

And Simon Legree stared up beneath,

And cracked his heels, and ground his teeth:

And went down to the Devil.

He crossed the yard in the storm and gloom;

He went into his grand front room.

He said, “I killed him, and I don’t care.”

He kicked a hound, he gave a swear;

He tightened his belt, he took a lamp,

Went down cellar to the webs and damp.

There in the middle of the mouldy floor

He heaved up a slab, he found a door—

And went down to the Devil.

His lamp blew out, but his eyes burned bright.

Simon Legree stepped down all night—

Down, down to the devil.

Simon Legree he reached the place,

He saw one half of the human race;

He saw the Devil on a wide green throne,

Gnawing the meat from a big ham-bone,

And he said to Mister Devil:

“I see that you have much to eat—

A raw ham-bone is surely sweet.

I see that you have lion’s feet;

I see your frame is fat and fine,

I see you drink your poison wine—

Blood and burning turpentine.”

And the Devil said to Simon Legree:

“I like your style, so wicked and free.

Come sit and share my throne with me,

And let us bark and revel.”

And there they sit and gnash their teeth,

And each one wears a hop-vine wreath.

They are matching pennies and shooting craps,

They are playing poker and taking naps.

And old Legree is fat and fine:

He eats the fire, he drinks the wine—

Blood and burning turpentine—

Down, down with the Devil;

Down, down with the Devil;

Down, down with the Devil.

IIJOHN BROWN

(To be sung by a leader and chorus, the leader singing the body of the poem while the chorus interrupts with the question.)

I’ve been to Palestine.

What did you see in Palestine?

I saw the Ark of Noah—

It was made of pitch and pine.

I saw old Father Noah

Asleep beneath his vine.

I saw Shem, Ham and Japhet

Standing in a line.

I saw the tower of Babel

In a gorgeous sunrise shine—

By a weeping-willow tree

Beside the Dead Sea.

I’ve been to Palestine.

What did you see in Palestine?

I saw abominations

And Gadarene swine.

I saw the sinful Canaanites

Upon the shewbread dine,

And spoil the temple vessels

And drink the temple wine.

I saw Lot’s wife, a pillar of salt

Standing in the brine—

By a weeping-willow tree

Beside the Dead Sea.

I’ve been to Palestine.

What did you see in Palestine?

Cedars on Mount Lebanon,

Gold in Ophir’s mine,

And a wicked generation

Seeking for a sign;

And Baal’s howling worshippers

Their god with leaves entwine.

And …

I SAW THE WAR-HORSE RAMPING

AND SHAKE HIS FORELOCK FINE

By a weeping-willow tree

Beside the Dead Sea.

I’ve been to Palestine.

What did you see in Palestine?

Old John Brown,

Old John Brown.

I saw his gracious wife

Dressed in a homespun gown.

I saw his seven sons

Before his feet bow down.

And he marched with his seven sons,

His wagons and goods and guns,

To his campfire by the sea,

By the waves of Galilee.

I’ve been to Palestine.

What did you see in Palestine?

I saw the harp and psaltery

Played for Old John Brown.

I heard the Ram’s horn blow,

Blow for Old John Brown.

I saw the Bulls of Bashan—

They cheered for Old John Brown.

I saw the big Behemoth—

He cheered for Old John Brown.

I saw the big Leviathan—

He cheered for Old John Brown.

I saw the Angel Gabriel

Great power to him assign.

I saw him fight the Canaanites

And set God’s Israel free.

I saw him when the war was done

In his rustic chair recline—

By his camp-fire by the sea,

By the waves of Galilee.

I’ve been to Palestine.

What did you see in Palestine?

Old John Brown,

Old John Brown.

And there he sits

To judge the world.

His hunting-dogs

At his feet are curled.

His eyes half-closed,

But John Brown sees

The ends of the earth,

The Day of Doom.

AND HIS SHOT-GUN LIES

ACROSS HIS KNEES

Old John Brown,

Old John Brown.

IIIKING SOLOMON AND THE QUEEN OF SHEBA

“And when the Queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon,… she came to prove him with hard questions.”
[This chorus is an adaptation of the tune, You shall be free when the Good Lord sets you free. It is supposed to be sung at a camp meeting of thousands of colored people, the crowd weaving and dancing and humming after their accustomed manner.]

Interlocutor.The Queen of Sheba came to see King Solomon.

Men’s Leader.I was King Solomon.

Women’s Leader.I was the Queen.

Congregation.YOU shall be king and queen,

Reigning on mountains green,

Happy and free

For ten thousand … y..e..a..r..s.

Interlocutor.K..i..n..g … Solomon he had four hundred oxen.

Field Hands.We were the oxen.

Congregation.YOU shall feel goads no more,

Walk dreadful roads no more,

Free from your loads

For ten thousand … y..e..a..r..s.

Interlocutor.K..i..n..g … Solomon he had four hundred sweethearts.

Women’s Chorus.We were the sweethearts.

Congregation—(delicately).YOU shall dance round again,

Cymbals shall sound again,

Wild-flowers be found

For ten thousand years … y..e..a..r..s.

Interlocutor.And every sweetheart had four hundred swans.

Women’s Chorus.We were the swans.

Congregation—(delicately).YOU shall spread wings again,

Fly in soft rings again,

Swim by cool springs

For ten thousand … y..e..a..r..s.

Interlocutor.K..i..n..g … S..o..l..o..m..o..n..

K..i..n..g … S..o..l..o..m..o..n …

Women’s Leader.The Qu..een.. of Sheba asked him like a lady,

Bowing most politely:

“What makes the roses bloom

Over the mossy tomb,

Driving away the gloom

Ten thousand … y..e..a..r..s?”

Men’s Leader.K..i..ng.. Solomon made answer to the lady,

Bowing most politely:

“They bloom forever thinking of your beauty,

Your step so queenly and your eyes so lovely.

That keeps the roses fair,

Young and without a care,

Making so sweet the air

Ten thousand … y..e..a..r..s.

Interlocutor.King Solomon he had four hundred sons.

Field Hands.We were the sons.

Congregation.CROWNED by the throngs again,

You shall make songs again,

Singing along

For ten thousand … y..e..a..r..s.

Interlocutor.He gave each son four hundred prancing ponies.

Field Hands.We were the ponies.

Congregation.YOU shall eat hay again,

In forest play again,

Rampage and neigh

For ten thousand … y..e..a..r..s.

Men’s Leader.K..i..n..g Solomon he asked the Queen of Sheba,

Bowing most politely:

“What makes the oak-tree grow

Hardy in sun and snow,

Never by wind brought low

Ten thousand … y..e..a..r..s?”

Women’s Leader.The Queen of Sheba answered like a lady,

Bowing most politely:

“It blooms forever thinking of your wisdom,

Your brave heart and the way you rule your kingdom.

That makes the oak secure,

Weaving its leafy lure,

Dreaming by fountains pure

Ten thousand … y..e..a..r..s.”

Interlocutor.The Queen of Sheba had four hundred sailors.

Field Hands.We were the sailors.

Congregation.YOU shall bring spice and ore

Over the ocean’s floor,

Shipmates once more,

For ten thousand … y..e..a..r..s.

Women’s Leader—(softly).The Queen of Sheba asked him like a lady,

Bowing most politely:

“Why is the sea so deep,

What secret does it keep

While tides a-roaring leap

Ten thousand … y..e..a..r..s?”

Men’s Leader—(solemnly and ornately).K..i..n..g … Solomon made answer to the lady,

Bowing most politely:

“My love for you is like the stormy ocean—

Too deep to understand,

Bending to your command,

Bringing your ships to land

Ten thousand … y..e..a..r..s.”

Interlocutor.K..i..n..g … S..o..l..o..m..o..n.

K..i..n..g … S..o..l..o..m..o..n.

Congregation—(rapidly, with heavy accents).The teeth of all his chiefs were set with diamonds.

Field Hands.We were the chieftains.

Congregation.YOU shall be proud again,

Dazzle the crowd again,

Laughing aloud

For ten thousand … y..e..a..r..s.

Interlocutor—(slowly and softly).K..i..n..g Solomon he had four hundred shepherds,

Field Hands.We were the shepherds.

Congregation.YOU shall have torches bright,

Watching the folds at night,

Guarding the lambs aright

Ten thousand … y..e..a..r..s.

Men’s Leader—(loud) and Field-hand Chorus—(softly).K..i..n..g Solomon he asked the Queen of Sheba,

Bowing most politely:

“Why are the stars so high,

There in the velvet sky

Rolling in rivers by

Ten thousand … y..e..a..r..s?”

Women’s Leader—(loud) and Women’s Chorus—(softly).The Queen of Sheba answered like a lady,

Bowing most politely:

“They’re singing of your kingdom to the angels;

They guide your chariot with their lamps and candles.

Therefore they burn so far—

So you can drive your car

Up where the prophets are

Ten thousand … y..e..a..r..s.”

Interlocutor—(loud and full throated).K..i..n..g … S..o..l..o..m..o..n …

K..i..n..g … S..o..l..o..m..o..n …

King Solomon he kept the Sabbath holy,

And spoke with tongues in prophet-words so mighty—

We stamped and whirled and wept and shouted, “Glory!”

We were his people.

Men’s and Women’s Leaders—(very softly and slowly).YOU shall be wild and gay,

Green trees shall deck your way,

Sunday be every day

Ten thousand … y..e..a..r..s …

K..i..n..g … S..o..l..o..m..o..n …

K..i..n..g … S..o..l..o..m..o..n …