Classic and Contemporary Poetry
A RETROSPECTION, by BENJAMIN FRANKLIN KING Poet's Biography First Line: I'se a sittin' neaf de ole magnolia tree Last Line: Well, hit mus' be in de family, seems to me. Alternate Author Name(s): King, Ben Subject(s): Chicago | ||||||||
I'SE a sittin' neaf de ole magnolia tree So't o' thinkin' ob de times dat used to be, In de huckleberry patches When we heah'd the steamah Natchez, An' de white folks all u'd hustle down to see. Dar was Missy Elenor an' Julie Ann, An' Haidee Lee, who lived wid Uncle Dan. But she went and run'd away, An' de folks set up an' say Dat she 'loped off wid a wicked no' then man. Po' Cindy she is daid, and Aunty Mary Doan do nuffin' now but sate aroun' en worry; En ebery night she say She 'specks to go next day, But her disease ain' one dat 'pears to hurry. De doctors seems es ef dey hadn't made out What 't is das makes ole aunty look so played out; But de time she will consume Turnin' Heaven into gloom Will make de Lo'd repent when sh's done laid out. Missie Elenor she married Col. Paxton, An' de scandal 'bout the colonel don't be axin', But dey say, I undahstan', Dat he done shot off his han', Jes' to keep from jinin' good ole Stonewall Jackson. An' Julie Ann dat talk like she was hoarse, Dat huzzy she's done gone an' got divorce. Dey lived in Chicamauga Till she moved up to Chicagah, Kase tings is mighty cheap up dar ob course, Yo' 'membah Haidee Lee? I undahstan' Dat she's trablin' roun' de country wid a band, An' heah she sort o' prances Wid a skirt an' thinks she dances, Did you evah, evah, goodness land! Wid de 'vantages dey used to hab en' see How dem girls was all turned out. Now can it be Dat cussidness is sown, Or is it in de bone? Well, hit mus' be in de family, seems to me. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...METAMORPHOSES: 3. THE RE-BIRTH OF VENUS by GEOFFREY HILL FOR THE NEW WORLD by EDWARD HIRSCH WHEN SKYSCRAPERS WERE INVENTED IN CHICAGO by EDWARD HIRSCH A GUY I KNOW ON 47TH AND COTTAGE by CLARENCE MAJOR STUDY FOR A GEOGRAPHICAL TRAIL; 2. ILLINOIS by CLARENCE MAJOR THE EXPANDED COMPOSITION by CLARENCE MAJOR THE SEVEN CITIES OF AMERICA by EDGAR LEE MASTERS CHICAGO CABARET by KENNETH REXROTH THE PESSIMIST by BENJAMIN FRANKLIN KING |
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