W.E. Dancer, "De Negro Problem" (1909)
Up untwell dis present day;
Done stood all dese hardships brav❜ly,
Now um guinter have my say.
Talk don't make de job no lesser,
Rousing ev'rybody so;
'Course I aint no great big Fesser,
But I knows how it should go.
Way ter start at dis here zample,
Learn ter treat yo' neighbors right;
Pav yo' debts up good and ample,
Dat will work it out er sight.
Hush dis talk 'bout soshal qual'ty,
Dat will tek kere of hitself;
Own yo' homes so people can see,
What you doing wid yo'self.
Teach all dem dats down below you,
How you got up where you's at;
Dis gwine up by yo'self won't do,
You can't git no where at dat.
Now you's gitten at de s'lution,
Figger hard and den you'll find;
All don't come in contribution,
So you git dat out yo' mind.
You must keep yo' mind in action,
Busy working lak a jerm;
Dis don't work in common fraction,
Complex Bud in ev'ry term.
He'p de man dat is yo' leader,
Strive to he'p him ter succeed;
All of us can't be no reader,
But let's lissen, den tek heed.
Aint dis problem working nicely,
Placing figgers where dey fit;
I done thought dis thing out wisely,
And I'll fetch de answer yit.
Bless yo' life, let's love one 'nother,
Dat's de greatest thing uv all;
For de Lord done said,my brother,
All dese 'vided house shall fall.
De answer lays twix dese two things,
Moral character and love;
Around dese pints our blessing clings,
God will send dem fum above.
Now when you gits firmly 'cided,
And to God yo' done resolved;
All o' hopes in him confided,
"Negro problem" den is solved.
Published in Colored American Magazine, July 1909