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(From In American, 1921)
SO now I get the dirty throwdown, huh? | |
| What do I mean? Yeh, that’s a good one, ain’t it? | |
| How do you get that way? You think I’m blind? | |
| I seen you with that girl the other night! | |
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| Aw, Frank, how could ya ever come to do it? | 5 |
| I ain’t changed, am I? Ain’t I just as swell? | |
| Don’t my eyes shine the same way, just for you? | |
| Don’t you remember out to old San Soozy | |
| We won long-distance prizes, dancin’ together? | |
| You says, “You keep the prize; what’s mine is yourn, | 10 |
| And vicey versy.” Yes, and don’t you remember | |
| When you—when you first kissed me in Jim’s Ford, | |
| And all them lovely things you says to me, | |
| And me believin’ ’em, because I loved you?… | |
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| I should of knew, I should of knew, I should of! | 15 |
| Men is the same, kiddin’ a girl along, | |
| Makin’ her love ’em, till she lost her brains | |
| And done what never can’t be undid now! | |
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But still….
That night the stars was winkin’ down, | |
| And looked so bright and happy, just like me. | 20 |
| The little waves was chucklin’ ’round the boat, | |
| You and the wind took turns, kissin’ my forrid. | |
| Down underneath I felt the engines pumpin’ | |
| Just like your heart, pressin’ against my cheeks. | |
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| The lights was out, it was so dark and haunted, | 25 |
| I felt so safe with them big arms around me, | |
| And dreamy, with the niggers singin’ soft, | |
| Playin’ their yukalalies. And I says,— | |
| Don’t you remember what I says? I says, | |
| “See them two rows o’ lights along the shore? | 30 |
| Them is the city’s teeth, shinin’ so white; | |
| The city’s laughin’, just like you and me; | |
| Laughin’ and laughin’. Everybody’s glad.”… | |
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| The fool I was! The stupid, crazy fool! | |
| I listened to your talk, give in to you, | 35 |
| Lovin’ you heart and soul, never went home | |
| Till noon, lied to ’em all—and now—and now— | |
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| I’m finished!—Thrun away!… Them lights was teeth, | |
| The teeth the city’s got, to tear and tear me— | |
| Murderin’, tearin’ teeth! They got me in ’em!… | 40 |
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| Go on away! I never want to see you! | |
| Go get that red-head fool, tell her I sent you! | |
| I hope she’ll be another fool like me,— | |
I hope you burn and burn in Hell!
I hope— | |
Oh, what’s there anything to hope for, now?…
End of Volume Two | 45 |
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