Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, SAVANNAH RIVER, by ROSELLE MERCIER MONTGOMERY


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

SAVANNAH RIVER, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Oh, de yaller, muddy, lazy, ol' savannah
Last Line: A-callin' to de homesick heart o' me!
Subject(s): Savannah River


OH, de yaller, muddy, lazy, ol' Savannah,
A-swingin' an' a-singin' to de sea—
A-swingin' pas' de cabin o' mah childhood,
A-singin' to de happy heart o' me!

De preacher all time preachin' 'bout de Jurdan—
I lissens wid respeck to whut he say ...
Good Baptises is boun' to be respeckful,
'Cause dey got to git to Heaven de river way!

So I don' do no 'sputin' 'bout de Jurdan—
Naw, I don' give de preacher no back talk,
But ... I keeps wonderin' whut he know 'bout rivers,
'Cause dey ain't no wuth-while rivers roun' New Yawk!

De Hudson and de Harlem bofe is rivers—
At leas' de folks around heah calls 'em so,
But ef dey jes' could see de ol' Savannah,
Dey wouldn't call dem rivers—not no mo'!

Believe me, man, dat is a sho-nuff river!
Cyarn' skyurcely see acrost it, so wide!
An' deep! Dat river jes' ain' got no bottom—
Leas' dey ain' foun' it yet, de ones whut tried!

Is it got fish? You make me laugh, man!
It's de fishinest river dat you ever see!
Jes' drap yo' hook—don' skyurcely haf to bait it,
An' you got fish fo' dinner, believe me!

Braggin'? Who-me? How come you sesso? Nossuh,
I ain' no han' fo' braggin'—not a-tall!
But—scusin', mebbe, of de river Jurdan,
De ol' Savannah River beats 'em all!

How come I lef' it, den, you ups an' ax me?
Why, Lawsy! me, mahself, don't skyurcely know!
De young, dey wanders—always seekin', seekin'—
But home is whah de ol' ones wants to go!

Oh, de yaller, muddy, lazy, ol' Savannah,
A-swingin' an' a-singin' to de sea—
I heah it singin' still an' still a-callin',
A-callin' to de homesick heart o' me!





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