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J.W. Work, "It's Great To Be a Problem" (1920)
1media/J-W-Work-Its Great to Be a Problem-The Crisis-November 1921_thumb.png2022-05-26T15:56:46-04:00Amardeep Singhc185e79df2fca428277052b90841c4aba30044e12131Published in "The Crisis," November 1920plain2022-05-26T15:56:46-04:00Amardeep Singhc185e79df2fca428277052b90841c4aba30044e1
It’s great to be a problem, A problem just like me; To have the world inquiring And asking what you be. You must be this, You can’t be that, Examined through and through; So different from all other men, The world is studying you.
My grandfather cursed my father, For Noah cursed Ham, you know; Therefore, my father’s children, The rocky road must go. We can’t turn here, We can’t turn there, Because the world’s in doubt, What we would do, Where we would go, What we would be about.
I’m sullen if I speak not, I’m insolent if I speak; Must curb my aspirations, I must be lowly, meek. I can’t eat here, I can’t sleep there, Must “Jim-Crow” on full fare; The world can’t know What I would do, If I were treated square.
It’s great to be a problem, A problem just like me; To have the world inquiring And asking what you be.
It’s great to be a problem, A problem just like me; To have the world inquiring And asking what you be. You must be this, You can’t be that, Examined through and through; So different from all other men, The world is studying you. My grandfather cursed my father, For Noah cursed Ham, you know; Therefore, my father’s children, The rocky road must go. We can’t turn here, We can’t turn there, Because the world’s in doubt, What we would do, Where we would go, What we would be about. I’m sullen if I speak not, I’m insolent if I speak; Must curb my aspirations, I must be lowly, meek. I can’t eat here, I can’t sleep there, Must “Jim-Crow” on full fare; The world can’t know What I would do, If I were treated square. It’s great to be a problem, A problem just like me; To have the world inquiring And asking what you be.