Monday, April 23, 2007

Sterling Brown: Southern Road

A Sterling Brown poem for your reading enjoyment this morning. Sterling Brown lived from 1901-1989 and wrote poems that were informed by the blues, and jazz, and old spirituals and work songs. His poems just sing. I love this poem "Southern Road" because of the rhythms. They bring the constant swing of the hammer and years on the chain gang to life.

You can read more about Sterling Brown & read more of his poems at Academy of American Poets.

And even more of his poems on Old Poetry.

Southern Road

Swing dat hammer--hunh--
Steady, bo';
Swing dat hammer--hunh--
Steady, bo';
Ain't no rush, bebby,
Long ways to go.

Burner tore his--hunh--
Black heart away;
Burner tore his--hunh--
Black heart away;
Got me life, bebby,
An' a day.

Gal's on Fifth Street--hunh--
Son done gone;
Gal's on Fifth Street--hunh--
Son done gone;
Wife's in de ward, bebby,
Babe's not bo'n.

My ole man died--hunh--
Cussin' me;
My ole man died--hunh--
Cussin' me;
Ole lady rocks, bebby,
Huh misery.

Doubleshackled--hunh--
Guard behin';
Doubleshackled--hunh--
Guard behin';
Ball an' chain, bebby,
On my min'.

White man tells me--hunh--
Damn yo' soul;
White man tells me--hunh--
Damn yo' soul;
Got no need, bebby,
To be tole.

Chain gang nevah--hunh--
Let me go;
Chain gang nevah--hunh--
Let me go;
Po' los' boy, bebby,
Evahmo' . . .

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