Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE DESCENT OF THE AERONAUT, by BELLE RICHARDSON HARRISON


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE DESCENT OF THE AERONAUT, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: A gang of darkies, hoeing corn one day
Last Line: "good-mornin', massa jesus, how's yer paw'?"
Subject(s): African Americans; Flight; Jesus Christ; Negroes; American Blacks; Flying


A GANG of darkies, hoeing corn one day,
Beheld a something huge that caused dismay;
Above their heads it tumbled round and round,
Then with a mighty flap it sought the ground.

A great balloon it was—each darky fled—
Fearing the monstrous thing would strike him dead;
All save old crippled Joe, whose gait was slow,
He tripped and fell his length across a row.

Out stepped the Aeronaut, most gaily dressed
With red and tinsel broidered cap and vest.
Joe struggled to his feet in mortal dread,
His rolling eyes were starting from his head.

His stiff, rheumatic knees together smote,
He shuffled to a distance more remote,
Then quaking said, while filled with reverent awe,
"Good-mornin', Massa Jesus, how's yer Paw'?"





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