Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THWARTED, by PRISCILLA JANE THOMPSON


Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THWARTED, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Down in the cabin all things were gay
Last Line: "good bye uncle sam,"" comes with a foiled grin."
Subject(s): African Americans; Negroes; American Blacks


DOWN in the cabin all things were gay;
Mammy and pappy were in the field,
So Rube and Charley and Sammy and Tray,
Were keeping house just as they pleased;
And it pleased each pickaninny, mischief bent,
To let riotous chaos, be their intent.

Old Tray is barking loud as he can,
At Rube and Sammy, who pats and jigs,
To the music of Charley, who beats a pan,
And sings in a voice, that is boist'ous and big:
But just when the revel was truly begun,
Old uncle Sam entered and spoiled all the fun.

He raised not his voice in censure dire,
Nor told how, "De Lawd wos a watching thah ways,"
But he sullenly took a seat by the fire,
And fell at once to conning the blaze;
While the children skulked under the bed with Tray,
Presuming, old uncle would soon go away.

But the fleeting time went on a pace,
The children grew tired of their cramped retreat,
So Rube made a plot, with a crafty face,
And thought to bring back the fun complete;
"Good bye uncle Sam," he said with regret,
But the old fox made answer, "I ain't gone yet."

So he staid till the children weary grew.
And meekly came out of their small retreat,
Chilled by the winds that through the chinks blew,
And quietly sought the hearth-stone heat;
Then he bids them adieu, just as mammy comes in,
"Good bye uncle Sam," comes with a foiled grin.






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