Classic and Contemporary Poetry
DE WATAH MELLEN SPLOSHUN, by BENJAMIN FRANKLIN KING Poet's Biography First Line: Dar's one fing dat hi wouldn't do Last Line: Dat's shuah. Alternate Author Name(s): King, Ben Subject(s): African Americans; Watermelons; Negroes; American Blacks | ||||||||
DAR'S one fing dat Hi wouldn't do Ef I had any common sense, Go sneakin' up to massa's fence An' steal a watah mellen fro. Would you? Hi kno' dat mos'ly fro de day He's layin' out dar in de sun Behin' dat haystack wid a gun. Hit's loaded wid rock salt, an' say -- You jay! Don't fool aroun' dem mellens dar, Torpeders grow dar 'pon dat vine; One busted las' night long 'bout nine, An' lifted some po' niggah's har. See hyar -- Hi saw de sploshun when it 'cur'd; Hi saw dat coon a-flyin' hence Off yondah ovah dat rail fence. Of course, I wouldn't say a word. I hyard Dat mos' de fahmers 'tach'd a line To mellens filled with dinahmite. Yo' coons dat's gwine out dar to-night Jes' scuse me; gase I'll stay behin'. Now, min'! You kno' Ole Birch, dat had one eye, Dat always got to church so soon, An' 'clar'd de eyarf went 'roun' de moon, An' said dat jes' de reason why De sky In night time needed bettah light, Was jes' 'cause wicked coons would steal From ebbery watah mellen fiel', But Gord would burn 'em up some night. Dat's right. He wasn't to de church to-day; A bran new coon stood in de spot An' set right whar he always sot. He wasn't dar to shout an' pray, Dat's what. Hi doan s'pose none yo' niggahs hyard De reason dat I laft in church When some coon ast fo' Bruddah Birch. 'T was jes' las' night dat, 'pon my word, De sploshun 'cur'd. No, sah! Hit's neva gwine ter do Fo' any coon wid common sense To sneak up now to any fence An' try to steal a mellen fro, Dat's shuah. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...MY AUNT ELLA MAE by MICHAEL S. HARPER DERRICK POEM (THE LOST WORLD) by TERRANCE HAYES ODE TO BIG TREND by TERRANCE HAYES WOOFER (WHEN I CONSIDER THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN) by TERRANCE HAYES CONDITIONS XXI by ESSEX HEMPHILL THE PESSIMIST by BENJAMIN FRANKLIN KING |
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