Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, UNCLE JAKE AND THE LEVEE, by BELLE RICHARDSON HARRISON


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

UNCLE JAKE AND THE LEVEE, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: De lord holps dem dat hopls deyselves
Last Line: "he ain't de man what I tuck him fur!"
Subject(s): African Americans; Doubt; Labor & Laborers; Religion; Negroes; American Blacks; Skepticism; Work; Workers; Theology


"Bredderin' an' Sisterin'—

"DE Lord holps dem dat holps deyselves.
Berlievin' dis tex' I toils an' delves,
I makes my famberly chop an' hoe,
An' you allers sees my cotton grow.
When water kivers de face uv de yearf,
I'm not er preachin' de secon' birf,
I rolls up my breeches an' wades erbout,
Buildin' er levee ter keep it out.

"De Lord stooped down an' said in my year,
'Yo' crap is saved, Jake, nebber fear,'
My tex' ter day is de Lord holps dose
Dat holps deyselves, ez you all knows.
Jess wuck an' pray, lak yer parster do,
An' faif an' wucks will ca'y you fru.
Yo' corn will sprout an' yo' cotton grow,
An' yo' levee will keep out de oberflow."

But just at this moment a form appeared
In the door of the church, and a cry was heard,
"De levee's dun bus', de fiel's er lake,
An' dere ain't nuffin lef' dat b'longed ter Jake!"
Jake took off his glasses and stood like a stone,
His faith was shattered, religion gone;
He glanced at his tittering flock and said,
To the man in the aisle, as he scratched his head:

"Ef de crap is all ruint an' 'stroyed dat way,
Atter dis nigger done wuck an' pray,
Ef de Lord's dun dat, I tell yer, sir,
He ain't de man what I tuck him fur!"





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