African American Poetry: A Digital Anthology

Roy Reginald, "Rastus' Soliloquy" (1909)

Lo'd ha' mussy, I is free,
   Free jes' lack ole massa is;
Jes' is loos' is I kin be,
   Risin' atter de sun dun riz

Jes' Kai' tellyer how I feels,-
   Nebber didn't feel disser way buffo',
Kinder tremblin' o'er me steals,
   Whar de cums fum, I dunno.

Reckon de is freedom's chills,
   What ole massa haves, yer kno',
When he tecks da' "jug er pills,"
   What so hot, hit meck 'im blow.

Boun' ter git me sum da' stuff,
   Now Iis free an' kait not 'zis,
Den, yer see, I kin wuck de bluff,
   What ole massa wucks on miss.

Got mer larnin' fum mer boss,
   Graduate fum massa school;
Teck his rule, yer show cum cross,
   Coars' hit aint no "Golden Rule."

Anna Liza jes' lack miss,
   Haves de fits ef I stays out late,-
Starts an' bollers, "Who is dis?"
   Den say suppen ner bout de "Fates."

Den I loves, "I is at de lodge
   Nisherashun, whay I is bin
Raisin' men"-dats massa's dodge,
   An' hit wucks des is slick ex sin.

But, thanky goodness, I is free,
   Me an' ole massa jes' erlack;
Man fur man, now, don't yer see?
  'Cepin' he's white an' I is black.

Eben dat don't cut no ice,
   In er lan' whar all is free;
Fur de black specks on de dice,
   Wins fur ole massa an' wins fur me.

Thanky goodness, Linkum sot
   All de cullud peoplea free;
Hope ter de Lo'd de' joys dere lot 
   Anna Jane, lack we.

Published in Colored American Magazine, May 1909
 

This page has tags: