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Title: My Valued Ruby: Poems

Author: Perry Honce McGee

Release date: December 12, 2020 [eBook #64030]

Language: English

Credits: Charlene Taylor, Chuck Greif and the Online Distributed

Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was

produced from images generously made available by The Internet

Archive/American Libraries.)

*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MY VALUED RUBY: POEMS ***

MY VALUED RUBY

POEMS

BY

PERRY HONCE McGEE

WASHINGTON, PENNSYLVANIA

1920

Copyright 1920. Perry Honce McGee

Perry Honce McGee

Mrs. Ruby Montrose McGee

DEDICATION

With love and hope,

To bring the day foresighted,

I dedicate this book to my race.

—Perry Honce McGee

CONTENTS

Page

A BLOT ON LOVE

33

A DIFFERENCE

56

A DROOPING ROSE

26

AFTER DE TOUN HALL SUPPER

13

A FROSTY MORN

20

A GENIUS

89

A LIFELONG HAPPINESS

7

ALL

47

ALWAYS

47

A POET’S WIFE

19

A POET’S DARK DAY

51

A POET’S POWER

53

A PHOTO

73

A POET’S PIER

75

A POET’S THOUGHTS

54

A QUESTION

29

A SAILOR’S FATE

87

A SHADOW ON THE BEAUTY OF LIFE

43

A SMILE

61

A SONG OF A BROKEN HEART

50

A SPARK OF LOVE

22

AT EVE

88

A THOUGHT WE SHOULD HAVE

89

A VISION FROM THE FIRESIDE

78

BEAUTY AND UGLY

76

BECKER’S JEALOUSY

26

BREATH OF LOVE

46

CUPID

88

CREATION

82

DEFENSE

2

DE GOLDEN COW

34

DEMOCRACY

45

DREAM OF BYGONES

63

DARLING EDNA MAY

85

EASTER GREETING

56

EASTER ROSES

23

EIGHT NOBLEMEN

5

E’ER JANUWAH DE 2

12

EVE DROPPER

69

EYES

23

FADED LOVE

48

FATE AND TIME

12

FOR A WHILE

67

FOR MY HEART

89

GINGER BAY OUTING

10

GOOD FATE

73

GOOD SPIRIT

52

GRAY EYES

36

GRAY HEADS

31

HAPPY AND SORROW

43

HER SOLEMN THOUGHTS

31

HERE AND THERE

84

HIS LAST HOUR

70

HIDDEN THOUGHTS

55

HEARTS THAT ARE TRUE

68

HUMIN TO DE AIR

83

IDLENESS

42

IF I DARE

71

IN AN ALL OLD ROSE

40

IN MY THOUGHTS OF YOU

83

INCH BY INCH

28

JUST AN IRISHMAN’S WAY

38

JUST NOW

72

JUST TO REMIND YOU

79

LOVE DREAM

57

LOVE’S REFLECTIONS

41

LOVE’S PRECAUTION

3

LIFE PLAIN AS DAY

65

LAZY MULE

24

LIEUTENANT RUFF

16

LIFE’S PRETTY WAY

86

MEMORIES

35

MILDRED AND MARIE

57

MOTHER’S DAY

62

MR. FINK

30

MY DAILY PRAYER

59

MY DEAR BELOVED MOTHER

70

MY DEAREST DARLING RUBY

84

MY DREAM

87

MY HEAVENLY THOUGHTS

74

MY LIKES

60

MY LITTLE GIRL

19

MY LOVE FOR YOU

68

MY LOVE

69

MY RUBY MONTROSE

76

MY RUBY MONTROSE

6

MY SHIP OF THOUGHTS

81

MY THOUGHTS OF IT

89

MY THOUGHTS OF YOU

52

MY VIEW

66

MY WIFE

10

MY WILL

39

NATURE

44

NATURAL BORN COLORED MAN

33

OFTEN TOLD

38

OLEGRIA

40

ONE SAD MORN

65

ONE’S NEXT BEST FRIEND

82

ONE SWEET DREAM

85

ON SUNDAY MORN

18

ON THE SUNNY SIDE OF LIFE

4

PICNIC DAY

36

RAS BAYLEM’S SPEECH

86

ROUGH ROAD

53

ROUND BY ROUND

89

SADNESS

58

SHE SAID. THEN HE SAID THE REST

88

SIE RANKENS AND HIS WIFE LIZZ

15

SIXTY-ONE

77

SPRING’S EASTER LILY

80

SPRINGTIME

74

SUMMER IS GONE

42

THE BATTLE OF HEARTS

79

THE BEE AND THE ROSE

55

THE BIRDS THAT SING TO ME

62

THE BLESSING OF GOD

77

THE BREATH OF A ROSE

49

THE CONVICT

46

THE DEATH OF MRS. WORMSLEY

22

THE END OF LIFE

50

THE EVILS OF ALCOHOL

8

THE FADING ROSES

66

THE LITTLE TOE DANCER

20

THE PARSON’S RESOLUTION

17

THE PLACE WHERE LITTLE MARY LIVES

28

THE PLUCK OF A POET

64

THE STAR OF LIBERIA

1

THE SHAWL OF SIN

44

THE SINKING SHIP

80

THE SOUL OF A BUD

81

THE SUNSHINE OF YESTERDAY

9

THE THOUGHT OF A CHILD

89

THE THOUGHT OF A HUSBAND

59

THE VOICE OF A ROSE

72

THE WILD ROSE

49

THERE MUST BE

58

THORNY LOVE

78

THROUGH THE MILL

25

TOAST

18

TO ALL

60

TO REMIND YOU

79

TRUE

88

TRUELET

27

UNACQUAINTED

61

VIOLET AND YOU

39

WHAT WE OUGHT TO KNOW

14

WHAT WE GET

54

WHENE’ER CONSCIENCE SPEAKS

63

WELCOME SPRING

75

WHERE THE SUN NE’ER KISSED

48

YOUR EYES AND MY EYES

32

YOU ARE

35

MY VALUED RUBY

THE STAR OF LIBERIA

Oh! my mighty love, for my people, friends,

But there’s a certain class of us that our minds doesn’t blend,

Though we’ve fought many a battle and it seems we’ve always won,

But we’ll be greater when the “Star of Liberia” shines like the sun.

I have sat and dreamed and to come there’s a brighter day,

But if our race pride’s weak, and we have no love, just when I’m afraid to say.

You pattern after the white man in every way but one,

And that’s why the “Star of Liberia” cannot shine like the sun.

We must learn to pull together, because animals know that much,

For when we seesaw back and forth into our future it puts a clutch.

This must be stopped or our defeat will be like the Huns,

And it keeps the “Star of Liberia” from shining like the sun.

I see a ship on the ocean at a distance of a thousand miles

And it’s flying a flag of a people that will be prominent afterwhile.

There’s a tiny bit of a star that’s causing that flag to fly,

But with a close observation it can be seen with the natural eye.

We must love this flag above all things we’ve done,

For it holds the “Star of Liberia” that’s going to shine like the sun.

This ship has good omen and a cloudy day there’s none,

Then why keep the “Star of Liberia” from shining like the sun.

We know she’s cruised the ocean for fifty years or more,

But as soon as we pull together she will land on the American shores.

DEFENSE

Colored men stop your marriages

To women of the other race,

Quit breaking the hearts of our goodly women

And bringing them a shameful face,

Why are some of us thoughtless

Upon things along this line,

Why when you go out of this race to marry

You leave women just as fine.

Now colored men I’m pleading this case

For our worthy colored girls

And trying to stop this awful horror

That’s passing through this world.

Where do you find other women

That will be yoked along you’re side,

To help you sail life’s rough ocean,

No matter how rigid the tide.

They go with you through thick and thin,

Down on their knees upon kitchen floors,

And in wash tubs they tirelessly bend

Just to help climb the ladder of fame.

Then could you discard an honest soul

That another race may honor your name?

Now God in heaven wrote

This humble oration,

That we may form a grand

And noble nation.

LOVE’S PRECAUTION

Trespass not

Upon two hearts that love,

Your penalty’s imposed,

By the Savior above.

This tiny little link

That connects two hearts,

With the watchword,

That no one should tear apart.

Think some day

It may be you,

Then read this poem

’Twill tell more true.

It will explain my mind

Just as I write,

And the sorrow that hangs,

O’er me tonight.

I’m driven away from the one that held me

The smooth love, on the roughest sea,

Now this is a teaching

To us one and all,

That true love grows

Summer, winter, and fall.

Through sunshine and showers,

In gardens of Mayflowers.

And o’er the desert land

No distance can break it.

’Tis found as we make it,

True love for ever, stands.

ON THE SUNNY SIDE OF LIFE

There’s only one way

That we’re to abide

Then the way to success,

Is very wide

On the sunny side of life.

Each moment in the day

We should wear a smile,

It brings so-called good luck

And it’s really worth while

On the sunny side of life.

The roses that bloom,

That scents the air

No place they grow

And look more fair

Than on the sunny side of life.

If we live right

And omit all sin,

Our days will be bright

From the beginning to the end

On the sunny side of life.

Even all the joy, and happiness too,

With God’s heavenly blessings,

For our deeds, kind and true,

Is on the sunny side of life.

EIGHT NOBLEMEN

Above my bed

Hangs eight noble heads,

With love, might and grace,

They brought honor to their race.

Dunbar could take you

To a land of beauty; it seems

And shine the light upon nature

To let you read his poetical dreams.

Douglass as a statesman

Thronged the whole wide world,

And always in our memory

He’ll shine just like a pearl.

Attuck’s patriotism

For the land of the noble and free,

God bless him on his way,

And strengthen his mind with such decree.

Taylor, the lovely musician,

Rhythmically to you could bring

The sweetness in his music

Was like the bird that sings.

Tanner showed his art,

When fate painted his heart.

He traveled in a whirl

And works exhibited to the world.

Dumas,

The author,

Showed his fame,

And down the honor roll

We should always find his name.

Washington, the humble but famous Booker T.

Had many ups and downs,

Though hardship he never feared,

And from the cruel world he gained a crown.

MY RUBY MONTROSE

Down in Illinois around among the boys

I never had a chance to go to school,

For there was my dear mother and little invalid brother

And I was their support as a rule.

But soon come the end to pass them on high

There hung saddest memories to the old home was good-bye,

Then with all my ups and downs, there’s one true friend I found.

While I sit a dreaming of the bygone days

Then a hidden voice did swell, saying I’ll teach you how to spell,

For there’s a tender meaning for each letter in my name.

CHORUS

R—is for the right, I’ll try to teach you my boy.

U—means the union that our hearts will enjoy.

B—is used in blotting sorrow’s memory, too.

Y—is that your yearning heart will always be true.

M—is for the million times you wanted to go to school.

O—shows how this old world treats when mother’s lying cool.

N—is for my natural love to you I plainly give.

T—is just to teach us how to love and live.

The placing of these letters tells how the story goes.

And the only name I love and spell is my Ruby Montrose.

All through life you’ll be like a pearl to me,

Just to have and hold you for my own;

With tender love, so great, then our lives I will relate,

And dream of you my dear when I’m alone.

Nights I’ll always pray that you may see the day

When you won’t be afraid to spell your name.

We’ll study night and day, this will help you on your way,

And relieve your tender heart of its bashful pain.

To me then came my trial and it seemed if heaven smiled

On those dear sweet letters that spells her name.

A LIFELONG HAPPINESS

Time promised me

Some day to unfold

A lifelong happiness

Bound with a goal.

I’m patiently awaiting

Along the way,

Attentive as a child

At its daily play.

My heart ne’er chills

From the long winter’s cold.

It’s wanting that happiness

Bound with a goal.

At times I’m sad

With nothing to say,

I should be gay as a rose

Of a bright summer’s day.

But looking for the story

So sweet to be told

Are you my little happiness

Bound with a goal?

If fate takes away

This promise so dear,

There’ll be a chain

Of my wasted years.

Link by link

To count and hold,

Trying to find my happiness

Bound with a goal.

THE EVILS OF ALCOHOL

Once more around and I’ll go home,

It’s really a shame how I’ve learned to roam.

Oh! but what’s the use? I’ve got a good excuse

That outnumber the bubbles in this glass.

Ah, ah, ah, ah, drink up, boys, and do it fast,

For with your old pal it may be the last.

You wonder why I have this knife?

Yes, I got it, got it just to kill my wife;

It’s the only thing for me to do,

Since fate brings about that she’s not true,

Stop, oh, don’t coax me, friends,

You can see I’m near my end.

Now you shoved me over that chair

And I’ve seen the time you wouldn’t dare;

But that’s when bloomed the rose of my life

And I had the love of my sweet wife.

Now think, it was stolen, by a dirty cur,

And in my life it’s put a blur.

Yes, I’m the guy that lives next door,

Where my crying babe sits on the floor.

Wait; I’m going to that swell cafe,

My wife’s there, and lead astray.

Ah! this is your secret place to dine.

And for me, ’twasn’t hard to find,

Why not let me meet your friend?

He’s beneath the notice of cultured men.

Ah! that’s the Italian that carried the note,

And he would meet death if I could clutch his throat.

Me no caree letter no time,

Me com a dis a placa, drinka Italiana wine.

Shut up, don’t you dare to speak,

You’re part of the cause, you dirty sneak.

Ah! and here’s the Jew that hauled your trunk,

And the boat that brought him over really should have sunk.

Oh! Meister, vate, vate you speak to me rongs,

I spyed in this yard an o’ pair tongs.

Who’s that Chinaman? I guess he cooked the meal,

And he will land in glory quick as I can grab this steel,

Woo Long, Sing Lee, Fong Low,

Well, old man, I’ll spare your head,

For in that language I don’t know what you said.

Me noee cookee disee placee,

Me gotee laundry, washee lacee.

Ask your friend to buy me a drink;

Ah! thanks old pal, but I called you a slink.

What! is she crying,

She’s thinking of our lives, that’s very trying.

Oh! now I know just what she sees

A once happy husband and living good as you please,

There’s a painting in her memory, how I hated drink and gamble;

And how I spent my evenings home, for I had no mind to ramble.

Then along come you, another suited man,

But she being weak, like the most of us, prosperity she couldn’t stand,

Then I took to this drug

’Cause it eased the nerves in my head,

And ever since I’ve wished that she and I both were dead.

Ah! let go of my throat, don’t let him, me boys,

Let go of my throat, I tell you.

Oh! mercy,

There’s my little babe, her voice calls,

But woman and liquor is the cause of it all.

THE SUNSHINE OF YESTERDAY

Where goeth the sunshine of beautiful yesterday,

When breezes blew light and all nature was gay.

Now the birds are mute and refuse to sing,

But down twinkles the snow to make the sleigh bells ring

I’ll ask a simple question of you one and all,

Where goeth the sunshine when the snow begins to fall?

GINGER BAY OUTING

Hush your mouth, don’t say a word,

Let me tell the good news I heard.

There’s going to be an outing soon

Down where folks spend their honeymoon.

Its given by the Dark Town club,

And they serve chicken by the tub;

Another thing their music’s grand,

Drums, piano, and old tin pans,

Get your ticket and don’t be late,

Be at the landing prompt at eight.

Listen! listen! what’s all that noise

Everybody’s going to Ginger Bay.

There’s old Raz Jones with his slide trombone

And you can hear him play it for miles away.

Come on boy we’ll have some time,

There’ll be lots of swell dancing,

And they’ll serve you wine,

And if the boat begins to rock

Keep right on dancing, if you lose your frock,

Be careful what you do

When you get a drink or two.

And when the boat pulls into land

Take your partner by the hand

And waltz her off at Ginger Bay.

MY WIFE

My wife, oh! my wife,

Was taught that game of cooking

Some time early in her life.

Its just as easy

For her to cook a good meal

As it is for you to ride

In an automobile.

It seems that it’s her pride

To fix good eats,

Such as roast pork and candied sweet tatoes,

And apple pies, she can’t be beat.

I can be so mad when I walk in,

Lips all shot out,

Hanging down on my chin,

But the essence of that food

Says why be thou so rude.

Then henceforth and forever

May thy grin.

If you can keep from smiling

When my wife makes apple pies,

That’s more than I can do.

She only makes that kind

That melts on the tongue

And passes by the thorax so easy,

Till it makes the pallet hum.

Telling the epiglottis

That it don’t have to move

Cause in this pie am plenty lard

And sure am short and smooth.

My Adam’s apple never works

When I go to swallow;

All the muscles in my neck

Never touch my collar.

Then it reaches the bottom of my heart

And sounds the tune of joy

And kills that word O’ Hunger

When I’m penniless so often annoys.

Now if you can keep from smiling

When my wife makes apple pies

That’s more than I can do.

E’ER JANUWAH DE 2

E’er sense I’s been bon things fo me goes powfull wrong

E’er Januwah de 2.

I sells my con and lose a farm

E’er Januwah de 2.

Good old liggon I don’t abuse but from me, it seems to oose

E’er Januwah de 2.

Now to drink is ganst my will, but luck fo me pulls don de hill

E’er Januwah de 2.

I puts my savins in my trunks, but things fo me just goes caflunk

E’er Januwah de 2.

An I married a dozen wives but dey seems to lose dey lives

E’er Januwah de 2.

Den ever year I have de flu and seems to me I’ll break in tu

Leaven my bons dah to click

Wid dem awful rhumaticks

E’er Januwah de 2.

De worsted sorrow I ebber had

Is when mah swetark treats me bad

E’er Januwah de 2.

FATE AND TIME

Fate taken away my world of goal

Time sees that I grow old,

Just these two words, which is time and fate,

Where art thou love, that turned to hate?

AFTER DE TOUN HALL SUPPER

Lod ham mursy Mandy, yo mis it all

When you let dat supper pass yo at de ole Toun Hall.

Sah, they had one pison meal,

Dat good ole broun possom an sweet taters, sush yo mouf!

Would upsit yo pallet an’ tickel yo heels.

An biscuit, hum, hum! don’t talk,

I et so many I could hardly walk.

When yo’d bustum open an dah ginter to steam

An dat fresh country butter gist madum a dream.

And dey had dem urly June peas dat was picked while da’s in blossom;

But wait tell I tolger bout dat gravy dey had roun dat possom.

It was gist a real medium lite broun,

Hum youm, youm! when dey rised de lid yo could smill it all ober toun.

An dat homade cake stood five layers hi,

Mursy! an dat egg-custard, well, ’twould almost make ye cry.

Den dey passed de water mellin an ice kream on de side,

An’ when you backed away from dat table yo sho was satisfied.

But you oder seen um a pitin on airs,

Ole Ginn Jackson and Tildia Blairs,

When dey’s asks tu et dey gaped like dey waned to fuse,

Sain no we thank yo, we don’t carh fo, but to dat table dey gin to oose.

Well sure yo woder almose bussed yo ribs

When de blessen was said by ole Joe Tibs,

Gist fo he started he ginner a real deep sie.

And eber body bow dey heads, but on dem biscuits he kept one eye,

Den he started, Good Lod! we turn thanks fo what bout to cieve,

But I aint so buzy wid dis prawh dat I can’t see dat sister slipen biscuits up her sleeve. Amen.

WHAT WE OUGHT TO KNOW

God help a people that really has no flag,

For on their present and future seems to heavily swag,

’Tis that awful burden of mystery,

And oh! how painful that their heroism’s ne’er mentioned in history.

Then go my brave people and make one of your own,

It will show our mighty love and that we’re learning to stand alone.

For years and years you’ve given your sons to this land of the noble and free,

But maybe it’ll go down in this last war, though others we’ve failed to see,

Now we have men among us, men of brain and might,

Don’t dream of difficulty a few years back, for then all newspapers were white.

Now why not send our reporters on to the battlefield

And let them follow our comrades so their great deeds cannot be shield,

And when the shots and shells are flying

Into the hearts of our loved ones dying

Then God helps a people that try to help themselves

That has the right love for each other laid on memory’s golden shelves.

Just think of our great heroes that died that we may live,

And think what it’s stealing from our children because history fails to give.

I’ve even spoke of Honorable Douglass to boys of my race,

Why they would ask me who was Douglass and amazingly look into my face,

Oh! this would break my heart to think of that noble man,

And there are others that should be in all history of the land.

SIE RANKENS AND HIS WIFE LIZZ

(Satisfied)

Git outer heah an goter wok,

Uv all men’s yo lobes tu shirk.

Don dan woken fo a dollah a dah,

Don hard wok an’ git good pah.

Sie, what’s de use larg or small,

Yo de kinder umman gonner spend it all.

Lizz, bleav me man, yo needs som pride.

Sie, hum, yo shud worrah ef um satisfied.

Lizz, sumer des dahs I’ll lost my mind,

Den you’ll leff dis hos liker a bird a flyen,

Cus I’ll be a devil an dat untied,

I’ll sees how much den you am satisfied.

Lizz, mussey me, dis world am ruff,

An’ marrahed life I goter nuff.

To don rite I really tried,

Den gwon an leah me, um satisfied.

Lizz, I’ll nuckel to yo nebber no mo,

Cus I kin clean cars fo de ole Big Fo,

I told um I’s coming, dey thinks I’s lied,

Cus de wah yo acten man, I ain’t satisfied.

Sie, somer des dahs I’ll slep a neaf de cool

An’ yo’ll hab tu hich, drove, an’ cur dem mules

Holin woe haw gee, come heah clide,

I gus den honey yo’ll be satisfied.

Lizz, tain’t no use in talkin to me,

I’s made up my mind to let yo be.

Whever yo sleep neaf de cool wom or hot

I’ll took dis brom an broke yo not.

Sie, den do it umman I aniter goner hide,

Any ole thing soes yo satisfied.

Lizz, dah yo am a giten all good

Den com na kiss me, hum, I wish I wood

Cus yo kinder mens I’s laid aside.

Sie, ef dey all no yo like me, dey woun be satisfied.

LIEUTENANT RUFF

“Company Attion,” dats it snap dem heals rite agether

And don’t be grumblen bout de rainy wedder,

Fo dahs a few things I’s boun to mention.

Yo pock out dat chest,

Yo lazy thing, yo am like de rest.

Gim me dem heads and eyes tu de front

An’ don’t let me heah yo breave or grunt.

Now in dis company dahs a singen aroun

Dat some yo soldiers am a staen in town,

Yo no dat am a breaken uv de rules,

And awful bad it sounds.

But let me ketch de ole ring leader

Wid him I’ll broke de guard hous don.

“At Ease!” quit dat trimblen at de neas,

In de monen I’s goner call de roll

An ebber liben body better hit de stroll.

Ef dahs anybody daun anser tu dey name

Well, de wah I’ll punshum, hit’ll be a shame.

Sur Lieutenant! mah I speak,

No you studers, an’ it’ll tuck yo a week.

Now stop dat rolen dem eyes dah,

Yo am de fello dey calls jack de bah.

Does yo no yo am afoolen wid de hinges uv def

An’ what yo am athinken yo am badly lef.

Ress, a man kin talk tell he nely chokes,

An’ Ress don’t mean fo you tu smoke.

Drap dat cigarete,

I bet I’ll blo dis company up yet,

Now I want spoke bout de han solute,

An’ you better bring me a press on all dem suits.

In dis company dahs a loss uv pep

An’ in aroun’ lebben werf yo am boun to crep.

“Prade Ress!”

Keep dat line neatly dressed,

Looker a dah how yo’s holen dat gun,

Gist like a man giten redy tu run.

“Sholder Arms!”

As yo wus, yo goter alarmed.

Now what’s de madder widd dis coman?

Change dat gun in de udder han

In all my forty years I seen

Yo bunch uv mens am mity green.

Wake up now an sodger rite,

Ef yo don’t da’ll be one awfull fite.

Yo’ll taste de essnes uv my fist.

“Company Attention!”

Dah am de dinner bell yo am dismist.

THE PARSON’S RESOLUTION

Parson Johnson at his church on a New Year’s Eve

Made a resolution he had up his sleeve,

He knew the congregation had some inside information,

But from where cometh he never knew,

So the bells begin to ring and the whistles begin to blow

Everybody kneeled in prayer, but Parson walked the flo.

CHORUS

Said, Lord! remove those evil spirits, that’s concealed in my trunk,

In which so often I bathe my soul, but never was I drunk.

Deliver me along a different path and close mine eyes even to an empty flask.

And if temptation greets me along my way

May Thee never let bad thoughts upon my conscience play.

Parson in his sermon, done oh! very well,

He spoke of hypocrites, backsliders and infidels,

He mentioned of St. Peter, who is writing the deeds we do

And said when sliding back is untrue.

He preached until his mind was a little overtaxed

And knowing that bottle he had hid was the real old true facts.

ON SUNDAY MORN

Long side de road

Where my heart overflowed,

From de moanen uv a dove

While I’s dreamin’ uv yo love

On Sunday morn.

While I sit an thing uv yo,

And de sun shines doun on de mistic’s dew,

In dis beautiful place,

I kin see yo sweet face

On Sunday morn.

I love to roam de putty wile wood,

It reminds me uv our dearest childhood,

To listen to de birds

And music widout word

On Sunday morn.

Ef fate holds a day we’re to meet again

To relieve my heart uv its aken pain,

If it’s God’s decree

I hope it will be

On Sunday morn.

TOAST

Leave me not dear just now,

The words I solemnly vow.

Without your care

This world I fear,

I’ll take a glass of little bubbles

Then life will be full of troubles.

MY LITTLE GIRL

Your smiles have faded into frowns,

Your eyes have lost their glow of brown,

Your lips are numb, hides your teeth of pearl,

Why lose this beauty, my little girl?

The roses in the garden, are drooping and dying

Since they know of your tears and sighing,

This puts a crape o’er the whole wide world

Bring back this beauty, my little girl.

I listen to the birds when I’m alone

And they have lost their silver tone;

Sometimes they’re mute, and feathers all curled,

There’s another beauty lost, my little girl.

Now the sun came up but refused to shine,

It was lost from your presence and love divine,

The clouds drifted by, fastly in a whirl,

I want you and the sunshine, my little girl.

There was a day that was dear to me

When we sailed across loves bright sea,

There we saw only water, sky and love

And this was a blessing from our God above

But soon our boat ran into a snirl,

And gone was our beauty, my little girl.

A POET’S WIFE

Has a miserable life

As he sits and thinks from sun to sun,

There he dreams of the lakes and dells

Her poor heart just beats by spells.

But when he’s back from those beautiful scenes

She looks in his eyes and the love-light gleams.

A FROSTY MORN

Spring’s early blossoms

Are sleeping in their grave,

Oh! how the sun did shine,

For their lives it tried to save.

Just think of all their beauty

And Jack Frost was the winner,

Though in sight of the shining sun,

He’s an awful sinner.

And while they lie asleep

Beneath the chilly snow,

We only dream of their tenderness

And their fragrance we love so.

Just think of each little petal

That was veiled with that all white shroud,

And the miserable death they died,

While the sun was behind the clouds.

But cheer up! all sad hearts,

Mother nature is soon to bring

Another collection of buds,

For the ones stolen this spring.

THE LITTLE TOE DANCER

Down a little lane

So beautifully shaded

There I met the queen

Of all little maidens.

Her hair was light

And eyes sky-blue,

She was out of the garden

Of beauties that’s true.

She’d hold her little dress

And dance to the breeze;

She would do it with grace

And musical ease.

On the tips of her toes

She’d go around like a top,

With such dancing, entrancing,

I thought she’d ne’er stop.

Then she’d bow

And give a sweet little smile,

Pulling her finger

Like a real little child.

But who only knows

Whom this maiden can be,

She’s my secret inspirer,

And the world to me.

Sometimes when I write

She stands by my side,

If my poem’s of the ocean

She rides on the tide.

Now little one

My thoughts are dim,

But with your guidance

I worked with vim.

And now I must go,

But my thoughts are of you.

We’ll meet here next Sunday

In the lane at two.

A SPARK OF LOVE

What will ease

Two aching hearts

That fate and time

Has drifted apart?

I’ll speak to this rose,

For maybe it knows

A gladness for her love

That’s now reposed.

Why did our minds

With spirited souls,

Let distance ring in

Leaving our hearts grow cold?

Now we sit and dream

Though miles away,

Neither can enjoy

The blessings of the day.

For a moment we’re happy

Then sadness prevails,

In our ears whistles memories

Like a nightingale.

THE DEATH OF MRS. WORMSLEY

Down along Lincoln way,

In our church on Sabbath day

A shock to a father, sisters and brothers,

When the Master called the Wormsley mother.

Tear drops then began to fall,

But this is the sting must come to us all,

With a pitiful look, one at the other,

To mourn the death of the Wormsley mother.

Soon the alarm spread around,

And hung a sad token o’er the town,

The alarm traveled farther and farther,

While the heaven’s doors opened to Wormsley mother.

EASTER ROSES

(To Mrs. Perry Honce McGee)

The roses you hold

Though they are withering away,

In their heart is my love

And a brighter day.

Their petals now drooped

But fragrance still sweet,

My heart with trueness

For you ever beats.

All the whole world

And its treasures of gold

Could tell no sweeter story

Than these roses have told.

So fate could ne’er send

No sweeter one, dear,

Than you with your love

And tender care.

EYES

Eyes that speak

Are worth their weight in gold.

For many a aching heart

With love they console.

They have no words

Like the trembling lips,

Though glance by glance

You can read their manuscript.

LAZY MULE

Gee, Gee,

Yo better quit dat pestern me.

Woe, tell I unkiber dis corn,

A raskul like yo shud nebber ben bon,

When de sun comes out yo am looken fo de cool

An’ dat’s de powful acten uv a lazy mule.

Den dah’s de minet I gits de bridle

Yo eyes am shut yo mine goes idle.

Did yo had no risens or go to school—no.

Ah, dat’s de rezen yo’s a lazy mule.

Now maybe tumorh I’ll drove yo tu town,

And what I means yo gwine tu sweep de groun,

Yo won’t drug along acten a fool,

Yo’ll git up an muv, lazy mule.

Yo ets a wagon loder con an’ a bale o hay,

Den yo leans er ginst de fence when yo goes tu bray,

I recken som time you’ll ax fo a stool

So you kin set doun yo lazy mule.

Den tu I recken I’ll trade yo off,

Yo lon nekhog, yo ets de hay out de loft,

Now yo kin git mad but I got er nu rule,

Yo good for nothen lazy mule.

And when I goes tu mak dis deal,

Yo run around de barn an’ kick up yo heal,

Stah rit sid dat ole marh Brule

Den de man won’t no he’s giten sich a lazy mule.

Ah, an when he gits yo you’ll cease tu balk,

Fo he am goter a chalklin yo has tu walk,

From dat dah on yo’ll be a liven tool

Dat I’ll en yo actens uv er lazy mule.

An mah de dah come when yo cease tu breve

Den yo’ll flot wid de angles fru de trees,

An de buzzards will fite one mo duel

An I’ll sah dah gones de essene uv dat lazy mule.

THROUGH THE MILL

If I can compose my way to success

Then some time I’ll compose the rest,

It will be of my childhood days

Building mud houses for different plays.

Oh! I was bad and mischievous, too,

And always looking for something to do,

And when I found nothing I surely was sad,

To be good very long would make me mad.

Though I longed to go to school,

But I was poor and fate overruled,

Then my mother, whom I love so dear,

Passed away at the end of the year.

Then I fought this old, rough world,

For I had lost my valued pearl.

And now she sleeps beneath the sod;

It brought me deep sorrow though it’s the will of God.

Just think of my mother, she guides me yet,

And keeps me away from those sinful nets.

All through life, from place to place,

She ne’er let alcohol enter my taste.

And I’ve ne’er lived a day I want to live o’er,

Unless it was school days which I could love more,

Now I’ll thank God and that sweet little her,

My life’s been rough, but never a blur.

A heart without love

And nowhere to build,

The mind wanders far,

Leaving the soul to chill.

A DROOPING ROSE

She’ll always be

Sweet like the breath you give

In trying to console me.

I hope you’re not leaving,

’Twould break my heart to think,

I love you better than all the rest,

For your petals are all over pink.

Cheer up! little rose,

With your petals looking mad,

My sweet heart is dying,

That’s why I’m looking sad.

Oh! there is your companions

And they are blooming all gay,

But I wonder if you know

My love is to pass away,

But forever in my memory.

BECKER’S JEALOUSY

Lody, Lody, chile am yo heard de nues,

Ole Ruby Gee go dem late stile shoes (no!)

Yo noes dem kin wid de heel so high,

An all de men’s jist looks when she goes by,

Course she ain’t as swell as she thinks she am, ef all ports am true.

She oder member, dat I noder, when she worned a boot an a shoe.

Mursey me, I kin seed her now in church a gazen aroun

Tryen to make eber body seer, so de nues, kin spread de town.

But um goner taut alls in de quar jist how to act renoun

An when Ole Ruby Gee comes in church we kin gider one pison frown.

Oh! but I loves dat uman jist like I loves a snake,

An I ain’t fogot how tonny she acted don at Ras Johnson’s wake.

Eber time dey passed de coffee she’d tuck it an kinder linger,

An put on de mostest airs, posen her little finger.

Dar she sit an sip, an saped,

An droped de hol cup in her lap.

Mursey me, I laughed, tell my sides almos buss,

Den we had one awful fuss,

But bleave me, chile, I helt my groun,

Ef things did look powful dark aroun.

An ef it hadn’t ben fo waken uv de dead

Dah ben one awful pullen uv de heads.

Yo nows fo a minit I acted refine,

But after dat she got a piece uv my mine.

Den eber body look all eck mased,

Sam Thomptson whispered to drunken Hays,

What yo spose dey am fusen about.

Well sur we broke up dat wake, widout a dout,

Den all along de streets on our wah home ’twas a site befo de king,

We was a gibberen an a gabberen, an bof un us sushed

When dat troll-bell ring.

Den we was quiet where de siety folks lived

An we hardly drewed our breff,

But when we’s out uv dat part uv toun I nocked her rite an lef.

TRUELET

Each day there is sunshine,

Each day there are showers,

Means some day in May Day

We’ll be picking wild flowers.

INCH BY INCH

I’m yet in the path

A jogging along,

That’s leading to the righteous

Away from the wrong.

We have not time

To talk evil of others,

For losing enemies

To gain heavenly brothers.

Oh, Lord!

May the day be long

In which you have power

To sound the heavenly gong.

We know this means

Our last day,

Bless us and save us

In that land far away.

THE PLACE WHERE LITTLE MARY LIVES

Down a beautiful country road

The roses in bloom and their perfume strewed,

Oh! the joy it brought to my heart,

’Twas so tender, so sweet, I couldn ne’er depart

From that place where little Mary lives.

Oh! that spot beside the hill

Where nature and beauty can always build,

Tells a story it really seems

And will always be life’s sweetest dream

Of that place where little Mary lives.

When she plucked and gave to me

A beautiful rose in a manner so free,

The heavenly breezes begin to blow

And the tenderness through my heart did flow

For that place where little Mary lives.

That was a day of God’s decree,

And oh! no scenes could sweeter be,

They soothed my heart and eased my pain,

May the bright sunshine ne’er turn to rain,

Down where little Mary lives.

But summer is soon to fade away,

Followed by a cold winter day.

The howling winds in the month of December,

But that dear little rose I’ll always remember

That come from the place where little Mary lives.

Now I see the blustery snow

And it’s changed the scenes where I used to go,

It’s all over white

Though the stars are shining bright,

How sad be that place where little Mary lives.

At times I think and really sigh

To think of those roses that are sleeping nearby.

But they will return

To my heart that yearns,

And for that place and its beauty

Where little Mary lives.

A QUESTION

Why are great men’s lives

Thrown into the mist?

One’s who aim at the sky,

Are found at the bottom of the list.

MR. FINK

I met a man

The other day

On a Chicago train.

By the way

His face was strange

And very old,

And holds a sad story

Yet to be told.

He says, my boy,

We’ll have a drink.

I said, no I thank you,

Mr. Fink.

Then he gave a real deep sigh,

Like a child about to cry.

In a moment he raised and said,

Then he stroked his old bald head,

Patting me on my shoulder then.

He faded his wrinkles into a grin,

Now my lad, as I sit and think,

May you never be like

Mr. Fink.

My younger days had I refused,

Now I’d stand in different shoes;

I could throw this blanket off of me

And this deadly sorrow that you see

Then with a nod he solemnly winked,

Try and remember Mr. Fink.

With a trembling he then relates

Of his mighty love that’s turned to hate,

He called a name that was once his wife.

This was the pride that wrecked his life,

Saying once I was rich, but now I beg.

She’s the cause, a wretched old hag,

Then there was love with a broken link

Mournfully told by Mr. Fink.

GRAY HEADS

Two gray heads bowed in tears,

Above hung memories of wasted years,

For once they were young with the blessings of health.

They sought not happiness, righteousness nor wealth,

But now they jog along to end of life’s rope,

The end is not far, just o’er the slope.

Their lives must be studied

With their heads bloomed gray

To direct souls

Along life’s sweeter way.

’Twill teach you their sorrow

Each day ’twill bring

The joy that’s in our lives

’Twill loudly ring.

But if heads are hard

And holds within

The things you crave

Be worldly sins

We’ll go down to a joyless end,

Leaving sorrow to have its sway,

We’ll be like those two

I saw the other day.

HER SOLEMN THOUGHTS

Oh! cruel, cruel fate is mine,

Why am I tortured with life so unkind.

Cruel as the grave, it means peace for me,

For there only, my sorrow, will e’er let me be.

Peace or happiness, I truly know not,

And gone art the sunshine that lightened my darkened spots

The little birds for me do not sing so sweet

And the roses have withered from the warm summer’s heat.

—Mrs. Perry H. McGee

YOUR EYES AND MY EYES

Your eyes so beautiful tells a tale

And o’er me holds the bill of sale.

With each glance they tenderly bring

A little love song for my heart to sing.

They hold the warmth around my soul

With love, kind love, too sweet to be told.

Were my eyes allowed to tell

How my poor heart beats by spells.

For your love it really craves,

Why send it down to its grave?

Time take away my haunted years

And your love, sweet love, that’s caused me tears.

Let your eyes shine for me real true,

Then I’ll explain more love for you.

The world then would cease my sorrow.

This brings a brighter day to-morrow,

Then forever we’d live in sweet loveland

With love, much love, I’d hold your hand.

By your eyes I traced your love,

Being guided by the Savior above;

I saw a weakening along the way

That I could strengthen would it pay,

But those things are hard to mend

When two has love that doesn’t blend.

Be careful in your daily walks,

Because from some source or other there’s always a watching eye.

NATURAL BORN COLORED MAN

Sam Jackson was goin’ with a real yallow gal, the one that he called his own-side pal,

But he found she would deceive, she told a friend by the name of Stark.

She could love Sam if he wasn’t so dark;

This made a discord down town,

Cause Sam was standing near, and seemed to overhear and just then he spoke right up and said:

CHORUS

I’m a natural born gen-u-wine colored man, you don’t have to look twice to see who I am,

You look at me once and your thoughts will end, cause I got that puro-de colored skin.

It’s the kind of skin that the sun don’t tan, this makes me the king of the sunny land,

So you go your way but bear in mind I’m what you call the puro-de gen-u-wine.

Now all high yellows to Sam is in vain, he never lets them bother his brain,

And all through his life he’ll letum alone, he knows that his skin’s a bit shady,

So he will avoid every yellow lady, he’s got a club of his own.

Where all brown skins can meet and have a musical treat

For every night Sam kindly sings.

A BLOT ON LOVE

On comes the future

And brighter day it brings,

But prosperity should never bother

Love in the heart that sings.

DE GOLDEN COW

Life fo me am one sweet dream

Sense I’s been drinken Jersey cream,

Ebum, my wife, am changed her wahs

She worens a smile eber dah,

When I miks dat golden cow.

Yo no when I buyeder my wife jist frond,

And to all de nabers she run me doun,

I wished yo hear ’er now, she calls me honey,

An’ tells me how well I spent my money

When I buyed dat golden cow.

All my chuluns jist seems to smile

Liker a pasel uv crocker diles,

One I’ll stan, an hunch de uder,

Dey gits dat actens from dair muder,

When I miks dat golden cow.

All de foks dat libs next dooh

Try to be so soshul, any mo,

But dey needn’t ack, all dat cin,

I gits eber body off my mine

When I miks dat golden cow.

An dat Jersey neber offers to kick,

I’d lose my mind ef she’d git sik,

Jist think what it means to my poar heart,

How sad ’twould be ef I had to part

From miken dat golden cow.

But ef she eber dies,

In hebum I no she’ll rest on hi,

Cous darh she stoods an hols wid in,

An’ neber breeved a breffer sin,

Hu dat cow amer golden cow.

MEMORIES

Sweet, sweeter, sweetest memories,

Of my great, greater, greatest days,

Has come and gone but now returns.

As I pass the little church door

My poor heart yearns. It wants you and those golden hours

That held my sweet, sweeter, sweetest memories.

When I hear

The church organ play,

My poor heart

Just hums away

A million of your melodies

And my sweet, sweeter, sweetest memories.

All the little birds

Just seem to know

Of my happy days

When you loved me so,

For every morn they tenderly sing

My sweet, sweeter, sweetest memories.

YOU ARE

You are my morning star,

You are my evening’s pride,

You are my all and all,

You are my love besides.

You are my brightest hope

You are my world of gold,

You are all of my happiness,

You are ne’er to grow cold.

GRAY EYES

Gray eyes, with your haunting, piercing trait,

And your infernal deadly bliss,

Around my heart still entwins a kiss.

Though shame am I to relate.

Gray eyes, this game fate is ruling,

Though many are the sad spirits

That conscience has seen,

From a lonely bench in the park amid the green,

With an aching, burning heart

No thoughts of you were cooling.

Gray eyes, answer me with your dreamy look,

Ah! that loving, tender smile’s a traitor,

Sad reflections we both see,

The last spark in my heart its took,

And I have learned to be your hater.

PICNIC DAY

Driften don de Ohio,

Oh, dat muddy ’bio,

Hearh dat boat a pufflen,

See dem darkies shufflen

Ye, dis am picnic day.

When she goes aroun’ de ben

Yo see dem darkies gin to grin

In dare hearts is powful joy,

Yo hearh dat word O, my boy,

Dis am picnic day.

Den yo hearh dem banjoes ring

Ole time darkies ’gin to sing

All dem southern melodies

Dat makes yo dance wid so much ease

OO, ah, ah, on picnic day.

Soon darh was a razor duel

Tween Willie Jackson and Coston Souel,

Den de gran master drew his sword

An’ boff dem rascals jumped overboad

On picnic day.

Den Magie Jones let a scream

Like de boat popen off steam,

Den she spoke a piece her mine,

Saen dis hapens eber time

On picnic day.

Den Parson Brown mader speech

Dat held de congregation liker leech,

All yo folkes oder be a shame

Fo tryen to spile de church’s good name

I don’t carah ef it am picnic day.

Parson wasn’t fread to say

He made his speech jist dat wah,

An’ when he’s thru, he wiped his brow,

An’ the congergation moaned liker cow

On picnic day.

Den de boat pulled into land,

Parson madum understand

Anybody not actin rite

Will walk de water back home to-night,

Dis am er church picnic day.

JUST AN IRISHMAN’S WAY

If your name is Mc or O’Maley

Come and shake hands with me,

That’s the brand killarney gives

Before sending us over the sea.

No words I can speak

To hold more true

And to show I’m an Irishman thru and thru,

Than those that are blending

To the Irish minds

Sure Mc or O’Maley

Is just the time.

Sure this is an Irishman’s way,

Though to you it may seem odd;

But the land they are from is a paradise

Blessed by the greenest of sod.

This makes me proud

Sure to be,

And to meet an Irishman

Just like me.

Then we can tell of the lakes and dells

And the beautiful shamrock bordered shores.

OFTEN TOLD

Oh! the beautiful morning sun

That shineth on the mistic dew,

It sparkles different colors

Once your eyes would do this, too.

VIOLET AND YOU

Early in the spring

Beneath the veranda grew

A lonely little violet,

And it brought our love anew

The days that we were parted.

My heart was ever true,

I shall always love this violet,

This violet and you.

I’ll pluck this little fellow,

And to you I’ll tenderly give.

It’s a token of our reunion,

May our love always live.

Though life could give no sweeter, too,

Than this violet, this violet, and you.

And I shall hold in memory

This violet, purple and green,

For returning life’s happiness

To me, that’s what it means.

Though my love it blew and blew,

Rack to this violet, this violet, and you.

MY WILL

I’m slow to anger when trouble comes,

For this is just my build,

And to hurt the feelings of another

Is usually against my will.

OLEGRIA

Composed May 27, 1920.

Around me at twilight shadows fall,

From the beautiful heavens is a childish call.

That has haunted me for years and years,

Through my bitter sighs and salty tears,

It’s Olegria, my little unseen.

Ah! there’s my little darling one

To pay me a visit, at the setting of the sun.

Be seated here love, on the green sod,

You’re a little blessing from our own God,

Olegria, my little unseen.

Now listen to the dream, of daddy’s golden hour,

But awakened from his slumber by the down twinkling shower.

Then I tried to stroke your beautiful brown hair,

But the breath of a moment banished you into the air,

’Twas farewell Olegria, my little unseen.

IN AN ALL OLD ROSE

I dreamed you were dressed in an all old rose,

So sadly I kissed you while my soul was reposed,

I dreamed that you promised some day you’d be mine.

I dreamed heaven blessed our love divine,

Gone art that night to where no one knows,

But I’ll n’er forget you, dressed in that all old rose.

You gladden my heart while love breezes blew,

I know not where my sorrow then flew,

Maybe into lands where love ne’er grows

To tell you dressed in an all old rose.

LOVE’S REFLECTIONS

If I had wings,

I’d take you and soar

To a land of happiness

For evermore,

Leaving all sorrows

To the years we’ve seen,

Then Cupid can play

On the grassy greens.

She’d have no use

For her bow and arrow.

Our hearts will be true

And gay as the sparrow.

Then we can gaze down

In that valley so deep

That held our love

Before it could creep.

Entertain no thought other than good,

Then evilness around you will ne’er prevail.

An open expression may slip from the lips,

But deceit constantly dwells within.

We only receive in value

The interest in which we do a thing.

SUMMER IS GONE

When the leaves have all turned brown

And through the autumn breeze

They come sailing to the ground,

This tells me that summer is gone.

Left in the garden is one single rose,

Its a sad token that every one knows,

Oh! how my heart does sorrowfully swell,

When that rose begins to tell that summer is gone.

Now I’ve roamed and tried to find

Some place to hide my sorrow behind,

But where’er I go

Mother nature says so, that summer is gone.

Where are the little birds

And their music I heard?

They fly side by side

To a place that provides, when summer is gone.

The beautiful sun’s hidden behind the clouds

And my poor heart almost speaks aloud,

To have it return

It would cease to yearn, but summer is gone.

IDLENESS

Idleness from day to day

Upon the strongest mind bad thought will play

Around your heart there’s a knocking,

’Tis consciousness; then to be idle

Shows ungodliness.

A SHADOW ON THE BEAUTY OF LIFE

When you wear a frown, from day to day,

Having no regards for the right I’ll say

Seeking your company without a thought,

And deafening your ears to what mother has taught,

This puts a shadow on the beauty of life.

If there sits before you a glass that bubbles,

It means you only sorrow and troubles,

’Twill take you to the late hours at night

And start your longing for wonderful sights.

Then a shadow is on the beauty of life.

If you ne’er look before you leap

In trying to get money by the heap,

To lengthen joy rides in beautiful cars,

Soon you will land behind the bars,

This spreads a shadow on the beauty of life.

If you’re easy persuaded in doing wrong

Your heart will pay with a little sad song,

When company isn’t right, travel alone.

Then ask God to give you a mind of your own,

And you’ll never shadow the beauty of life.

HAPPY AND SORROW

Each happy thought may be followed by sorrow,

It can steal away your smiles for to-morrow.

The hours we are happy to our lives means a goal,

Value happy thoughts for we are fast growing old,

Walk a narrow path and from happiness borrow,

For happiness could change in the next hour

Then sorrow, like rainfall, could pour in showers.

THE SHAWL OF SIN

Oh! sinful shawl

That holds me tight,

Were you off my shoulders

I’d be straight from this night.

My sorrow’s too great

To e’er be told.

I being so weak

And easy to infold.

You have taken my strength

And let me fall.

May this be a lesson

To us one and all.

NATURE

When the sun goes down in the Golden West,

Night blankets all nature at rest.

Far in the east, creeps up the silvery moon,

The night birds then begin to spoon.

A heart that is a dangerous one

Is a heart that cannot hold a secret.

Fate rules, time brings about

All of God’s blessing that’s in store for us.

A restful night makes bright the morn,

This leads on to endless joy

Making life worth while.

DEMOCRACY

War is over, peace is signed,

Will the colored man be in the place he used to find?

Well, he really should not for in the war he was true

And he’s waiting now to see what Democracy will do.

Stand up! America, you’re the land of the noble and free,

But you’re letting other countries mention things you ought to see.

Oh! but we will live in hopes without a thought of feeling blue,

But remember our little children knows what Democracy ought to do.

Now to be frank, with you America and other countries know

Just how you treat the colored man, with that awful old jimcrow.

We can be intelligent, dressed sufficient, when we walk in,

As a rule we are grossly insulted on the account of the color of skin.

I had a dream, America, just a dream of you.

But I hope it was a nightmare only passing through.

I saw you in another war, cannons roared, before declared,

But if I were you I’d stay at home and clean my own golden stairs.

Oh, but we will praise the Lord, from whom all blessings flow and sing

And watch that word Democracy, for we know what it ought to bring.

Give your time and thought

To the better side of life.

BREATH OF LOVE

Moments by moments, hours by hours,

Your love in my heart just pours in showers.

Breath of love.

Breath by breath, smile by smile,

May your love bring to my heart no vile

Breath of love.

Word by word, to ease by ease,

My love is all yours to treat as you please.

Breath of love.

Side by side, hand in hand,

Pure love, sweet love, will always stand.

THE CONVICT

Cling, clang, the anvil rang

Behind the prison walls a convict sang

A song of his innocence as he worked away,

And for keeping bad company this was his pay.

He was coaxed by mother, sister and brother

Before the handcuffs came,

But now he’s clothed in a little striped suit,

And to face the world again he’s ashamed.

Life is so short, death sleep is so long,

Think kind of me now not after I’m gone.

Steal not from yourself nowadays

For your work is your boss.

ALWAYS

There’s always a look in your eyes,

There’s always a rose in your smile,

Could there be a feeling in your heart

To my life that means worth while.

There’s always times I long for you,

There’s always times I feel sad.

I wonder if those times could be brightened

To make my poor heart glad.

There’s always my golden dreams,

There’s always my thoughts of love,

And you are a tender blessing dear

That flowed from the heavens above.

There’s always a cloudy day,

There’s always a little sunshine,

But there would be no cloudy ones

If you’ll promise to be mine.

ALL

All, to our lives is pure sweet love

All, in a day it can grow,

All, in a moment it can leave us,

All, of us don’t think so.

All, of our thoughts of happiness,

All, of our smiles in between,

All, could be dead by tomorrow,

All, could be love’s saddest scene.

Our lives are passing ne’er to repass,

Quoting these words to memory

Could save your soul.

FADED LOVE

Gone art your love, that I once knew,

It faded like a rose for the want of dew,

But God bless you, dear,

From sorrow and care.

But there lies memories of your faded love.

Though I’ll go along life’s gay way,

Plucking the roses of a bright summer’s day.

Weakened but guided by the Savior above,

But still there’s memories of your faded love.

Enchanted in my heart were you so strong

I never dreamed fate could guide you wrong.

From the wilderness came the mourn of a dove,

It knows the sad story of your faded love.

Onward to me the years may fly

But not relieved of my tears and sighs.

Remember I held you with my little golden gloves

Till the distant times brought your faded love.

WHERE THE SUN NE’ER KISSED

Back o’er the mountain

Where the sun ne’er shines

Was left a snow drift

From winter time.

In this lonely little spot

Where nothing will grow

The warm summer winds

Ne’er melts the snow.

THE BREATH OF A ROSE

You have a soul as tender as the breath of a rose,

Each day my life’s worth living as our love grows and grows,

There never shone a star as bright, no sweeter words could have come to light.

And there’s a compensation to you life owes,

For your soul being as tender as the breath of a rose,

And the coldest night the winter wind blows

In my heart’s a humming that no one knows.

My love for you just gently flows,

While I sit and think of the words to compose.

May always your soul be tender

As the breath of a rose.

THE WILD ROSE

The little wild rose

I gave to you

’Tis a token of my love,

Will you be true?

It was losing its petals,

For autumn was near,

But love so humble,

For you my dear.

If all through life

This rose could speak,

’Twould strengthen our love

Should it e’er grow weak.

A SONG OF A BROKEN HEART

Just as many days that my heart has broken

I will count and hold as love’s sad token,

But just the way my heart is aching

Some day you’ll love, then you’ll be forsaken.

You may be happy for a time, in a way,

But fate will overrule, then you’re sure to pay,

And when that time comes you’ll sit and look in space.

In each, and every vision, will be my broken-hearted face.

Then you will see and solemnly plead

To have the time shortened, my heart did bleed.

But remember when you’re playing with the game of love

You can fool many a body, but think whose above.

THE END OF LIFE

Our lives is like a ball of twine,

Day by day it unwinds,

As if tied to a reel that you turn and turn;

This is what every soul should learn.

Who only knows where the end will appear

On this tiny little string holding life so dear.

Above is our judge to handle this case,

We know not when the time, nor space

Being numbered in moments, days, hours, and years,

Save us, Oh! Lord, as the time draws near;

And when the end cometh its the work of our God

Then forever we’ll sleep beneath the sod.

Blessed art the ones

Whom our Father crowns.

But lost art the ones

Whom seeketh and ne’er found.

A POET’S DARK DAY

Listen to the humble words

That a down-hearted poet did write;

He was in a world of darkness

And could not see no light.

His mind was on one person,

But his soul was somewhat chilled,

Though he’d smile when spoken to,

For this was just his build.

Maybe his mind is traveling,

Is why he looks in space,

His heart is loving some one,

His actions proves the case.

But soon his thoughts will change

To sunshine or maybe flowers,

Then with joy he’ll sit and write

For hours after hours.

A poet has many a thought

That come and go each day,

He dwells in the land of beautiful scenes,

Though some are a thousand miles away.

His sweetest thoughts is tender love,

His next is the breath of a rose,

And oh! how the two, gladdens hearts

When their souls are reposed.

Drink not of a bottle

That has sparkling bubbles,

This habit once formed

Means a world of trouble.

MY THOUGHTS OF YOU

Here are my thoughts

Of you, little friend,

As I pass your gate

And gently look in.

Your rose-bloomed face

And tender smile

To any one living,

They’re really worth while.

You always seem gay

As the days are long,

In your heart there must hum

A sweet love song.

This tells the story

Just as you look,

My thoughts of you

Will be in a book.

GOOD SPIRIT

Oh! dwell with me good spirit

In my heart let there ring

Love for all of God’s creation

Flow from my lips when I sing.

Deep in my heart

Let joy be known

And more love for our Father

Whom sitteth on the throne.

You have a moment to think,

And an hour to act, this reversed

Could mean you harm.

A POET’S POWER

Sleep, dearest one, sleep,

May you dream of bright fond love

This poem that I write of you

Is sent from the heavens above.

And o’er you will soar an angel

With golden wings, ’twill fan your brow,

My love for you in heaven’s record,

Be humble to our Savior for this blessing he allows.

This angel will guide you o’er

A path in which you may sin,

But let our tender thoughts be of each other

From the beginning to the end.

At times you may sit and wonder

Why you want me dear,

I being born unfortunately poor,

But the power in my writing holds you near.

ROUGH ROAD

My heart beats weak

But my thoughts strong,

Jogging up the road to success,

And my strength has left me so,

But I never stop to rest.

We are born in this world

With burdens laid out

To shoulder as the years go by.

A POET’S THOUGHTS

A poet’s thoughts are as deep

As the old sad sea,

And he holds love for his work

That will always be.

A joy to his heart

That comes in dreams, sweet dreams,

And he’s a humble fellow,

Just as humble as he seems.

His heart is very tender

And this is easy explained,

For he’s always thinking

To relieve, some heart of it’s pain.

Night and day he labors,

With gift he loves so well,

And when he’ll ever tire,

Time, can only tell.

WHAT WE GET

The early bird gets the worm,

The wise man gets the money,

Jack Frost gets the autumn leaves,

The little bee gets the honey.

The working man gets his meals (sometimes)

The doctor gets his calls

But what’s the use in worrying, friends,

The graveyard gets us all.

HIDDEN THOUGHTS

Isn’t it hard to drive back your feelings

When therein shines a smile,

For the one whom you love so dearly,

And their life could mean you worth while.

But drive it back secret love,

Into a day of darkness and rain,

You hold the wrath of deep sighing,

And to our hearts, you bring racking pain.

It hangs heavily on mind,

And its stealing what nature has given.

Oh! why does fate, with this bad omen

Hold this torturing, in which we live?

THE BEE AND THE ROSE

Good bye, honey bee, you gathered from me

Honey the whole summer long,

But autumn’s here to take me home.

Now I’ll lose the sound of your song,

But go to your nest

And dream of the past.

When winter goes by

Spring returns fast.

Then I’ll return, too,

And open my buds,

Then the loving, tender breeze,

With my fragrance will flood.

EASTER GREETING

(To my wife Ruby)

When I think of the day

That we’re to part,

It brings a deep sigh

That weakens my heart.

Then it leaves my mind

So roamsome and blue,

For there’s my love

In memory of you.

In the heart of these roses

With their petals so gay

Is my love most tender,

With each breath they’ll spray.

Here’s solemn hopes

With love so true,

May these roses touch your heart

Through and through.

And when their petals wither

To blow on the breeze,

Remember love is deeper

Than any place in the seas.

A DIFFERENCE

We are strong in some things

And weak in another;

We are not all alike,

There is a difference in brothers.

MILDRED AND MARIE

The night was still,

No sounds could be heard,

But soon came voices

Sweet as a bird.

I arose from my bed

To find who it could be.

’Twas my deceased sisters,

Mildred and Marie.

Oh! how beautiful

Was their golden wings,

With music in their voices

That the living can’t sing.

They told of the heavens

So sweetly to me,

And tell mother you were visited

By Mildred and Marie.

LOVE DREAM

The rose of my life

Were in bloom it seems,

When I saw your face

In my golden dreams.

It cleansed my thoughts

So sweet and bright,

I ne’er wanted to awake

Out of my slumbers that night.

SADNESS

Oh! torturing sadness, why burden me now?

Hide behind those unhappy thoughts that’s the cause of my broken vow,

You build around me those death chilled walls,

Leaving no sunshine in,

But fate is the cause in letting me fall

Deep into this untold sin.

But I’ll take you with a smile,

It matters not where’er I be

I’ll stand my ground like a man

If you’re rough as the water of the mad rushing sea.

THERE MUST BE

When we lie down

On our couch to rest,

Our conscience must be clear

To be heavenly blessed.

Then smile, oh gentle Savior,

As you pass on into sleep,

Then somewhere in slumber land

You may holy creep.

There your sins are washed away,

And replaced by golden wings,

Oh, think what you’ll enjoy

To hear the heaven’s choir sing.

Isn’t it hard to give

Your heart and soul

For the one you’d die to let live,

When day by day they are growing cold.

MY DAILY PRAYER

Oh, Lord, teach me from day to day

To dwell in the path

Along the righteous way.

Remove my thoughts

Of riches and gold,

For this so many

Have traded their souls.

THE THOUGHT OF A HUSBAND

Each moment you frown

You’re stealing from your life,

And at times you break the heart

Of a dear sweet wife.

One’s greatest fancy is a smile

And love’s brightest way is hope,

Then time’s golden entrance is patience.

Though the years to us may come and go,

But out of my memory ne’er can flow

The ring I gave you that spoke in silence

For you it held you, but for me violence.

A wicked thought is easy bought,

But values nothing in gold.

So read this verse between times,

And let righteousness into your soul.

MY LIKES

I like all nature’s beauty,

I like to rove the wild wood,

My heart likes to hold in its depth,

I like only thoughts that are good.

True like the sun does shine,

Aloud like the bells do ring,

Joy like my heart loves,

It likes a little song to sing.

Nice, like a sweet summer’s eve,

Tender, like the breezes do blow,

My heart likes to love some one,

It likes a place to go.

Who likes a day of sorrow?

Who likes untold, displeasure?

My heart likes all happiness,

And it likes a real full measure.

I like but a little company,

I like but a little sight,

My heart likes to be at ease,

It likes to feel, what I write.

TO ALL

In your heart

Let silence find a place,

Then be guided by your conscience

And you’re always safe.

UNACQUAINTED

I’d love to know

Your real full name.

’Twould be pleasure to write

Your beauty and fame.

I’d write on the value

Of you in which I hold,

Why it could ne’er be bought

With Rockefeller’s gold.

Indeed you’re a blessing

From the heavens above,

And all would be bright

If I had your love.

And while sweet breezes blow

Over life’s rough way,

I could sit and write your name

In my humble essays.

A SMILE

Every smiling face,

Or even jolly motions,

Doesn’t prove that one’s sorrows

Are not deeper than the ocean.

But there is great value, in a smile,

It can save a poor man’s life,

When I go home it’s worth while,

For I meet a smiling wife.

MOTHER’S DAY

I received a flower

On the twelfth of May,

It was a token

Of Mother’s day.

With petals snow-white

And fragrance so sweet,

Thou art my hope

That in heaven we’ll meet.

My mind wandered back

In a childish way

My soul then reposed!

But seemed to say:

Oh! the spirit spoke

As I did pray,

In the heart of this flower

Shineth Mother’s day.

THE BIRDS THAT SING TO ME

All nature is happy this morning,

Oh! how they welcome the beautiful sun,

And those silver-throated fellows

Gives music until the day is done.

They bring to my heart so sweetly

A feeling I can hardly explain,

That travels on the breezes so tender,

With such a soothing refrain.

DREAM OF BYGONES

The peonies are in bloom,

Their perfume I adore,

Naught keeps me from dreaming

Of you for evermore.

The night is bright,

The dewdrops fall,

The night birds sing

With a distant call.

My heart then beats

In throbbing pain,

My eyes in tears,

My soul is strained.

Come tell me, dear,

If thy love’s dead,

Come raise me then

From sorrow’s bed.

WHENE’ER CONSCIENCE SPEAKS

Have you given this a thought,

If you haven’t you really ought.

This is what we all should know

And we do wrong when we don’t go

Whene’er conscience speaks.

Every man, woman, or child

When nearing trouble or something vile,

Should gently turn

And never yearn

Whene’er conscience speaks.

THE PLUCK OF A POET

For my little humble talent

I turn thanks to our God.

Though each time I try to show it

I meet with the world of odds.

Though He blessed me with my gift,

And He will bless me along the way,

He is giving me love and wisdom

And He will bring a brighter day.

These are words of a poor poet,

And what I write is true,

I long to go before the world

To try and show what I can do.

If one could only see me now,

My lips are numb, shows sorrow deep.

This is after my daily labor

That these thoughts through my mind does creep.

God gives me strength to work,

To earn my daily bread,

Then revives me for my writing

To show that my blood is red.

Why swell up o’er talent

Or activeness of brain?

God giveth and he taketh

As easy as it twinkles down rain.

LIFE PLAIN AS DAY

Life lays out its happiness and sorrows,

You’re to choose either for to-day or to-morrow,

We can be happy our whole life through

In regarding our company and the things we do.

Let the other fellow think what he will or may,

I’ll choose happiness, it really pays.

Life holds a beauty that shineth like gold,

Seek it while you’re young, don’t wait to get old.

Day by day it comes to us all,

So fly not so high, remember your fall.

One moment we’re up and the next we’re down,

Try to take the ladder without a frown.

For our lives are planned out with time and space

And we are truly guided by an unseen face.

The blossoms of life has petals so dear;

Then deal with them gently and handle with care,

There’s like the rose in the garden that blooms,

That gives to the breeze their wafted perfume,

But the way the frost makes its petals fly

This teaches us that we all must die.

ONE SAD MORN

In a lonely little village

Was the tolling of a bell.

Deep in our hearts

A sad story it tells.

Deceased our dear, old general

Who fought with heart so brave,

In honor of our land and country,

And stars and stripes to save.

MY VIEW

A poor shabby boy;

But an ambitious poet,

And in most appealing way

He’d love for the world to know it.

For now he sits and dreams

Of which he can’t depart,

And deep in his soul lies

That beautiful hidden art.

God gives him the power

And a clean mind to compose,

He gathers beauties from an unseen garden,

Where he dwells when his soul is reposed.

He has a high standard in thought

As the richest man of the day,

And wears a smile, though destitute

For this is just his way.

THE FADING ROSES

Here lies the roses that’s fading away,

With their memories of a brighter day;

Just like the heat, are withering them dear,

The loss of your love brings sorrow and care.

These roses go back to nature’s review,

They’ll regain their lives and bloom anew,

But if my poor heart could be repaired

With kindness of nature which roses are shared

’Twould remove all sorrow and enter sweet refrain

Then my heart would bud and bloom again.

FOR A WHILE

Could there ever be a day

That sorrow will cease and blow away,

May it travel to parts to me unknown,

That my heart have back a feeling of its own

For a while.

My heart has never quit its pining,

Each thought brings a silver lining,

And if you were near

’Twould ease my care

For a while.

No one knows why I sigh,

It’s love in my heart that cannot die,

Though now I regret

But cannot forget

For a while.

Now it seems like wasted years

To intermix with my bitter tears,

Though I’ve prayed to our God above

That He may return my only love.

For a while.

The beautiful stars in their glory

Has ceased to tell love’s sweet story,

They hide from me behind the clouds;

Will some one love me if my head is bowed?

For a while.

There’s nothing more beautiful than a smile

If it’s really meant from the heart.

HEARTS THAT ARE TRUE

Love when young and tender

Should pick its place to go;

Beware of hearts that deceive

For there, ’twill cease to grow.

Then hearts that are true

Beat just as one,

With a soulful tender feeling,

Till love’s bright day is done.

Hearts that are true,

And when they cross the river of Jordan

To answer to their rights and wrongs,

That sweet word love will be in golden letters

And will be sung in a beautiful song.

MY LOVE FOR YOU

How can I forget

What I have to regret

When there in my dreams

It just flows in streams

And tells a story so true,

That’s making me feel blue,

Why it’s my love, my love for you.

Your eyes, with beauty so rare,

No diamond could shine as fair.

But I’ll watch and pray

For that sweet day in May.

So return your love anew,

You have mine and it is all for you.

MY LOVE

My work for my race

Will always be

Tireless toil

To make them proud of me.

Now if we all work

To this one point,

Strong will be our union,

No nation could break the joint.

Just think! of all of us trying

To make one another proud,

Why the little stars in their glory

Would almost speak aloud.

Then they’d shine brighter and brighter,

And with love, they’d light the way,

For the race that is loving to each other

There is sure to come a better day.

EVE DROPPER

The rose that bloomed

On veranda side,

Heard love’s sweet story

When first untied.

These hearts traveled

Through the distant years,

To join each other

In their sighs and tears.

MY DEAR BELOVED MOTHER

Beside me walks an unseen face

That guides me daily from place to place,

And has love for me, like that of no other,

This guide, tender guide, is my dear beloved mother.

She goes with me through rain or shine,

Like the fortunate leads the unfortunate blind,

And when I am lonely for a sister or brother,

There’s the cheering thoughts of my dear beloved mother.

Of course she’s in the spirit land,

But she walks with me daily hand in hand,

And when I’m asleep she’s o’er my bed,

That sin may go no farther.

Now this teaches us of that mighty love

We have in a dear beloved mother.

HIS LAST HOUR

Oh! mighty Savior,

Cometh my last day,

And the sound of the golden trumpet

My sins bloweth away.

Glory to thy name

As I breathe my last breath,

Repenteth all whom love him now,

Not at the door of death.

Each and every moment

His name to me is all

Those whom are standing by my dying bed,

Remember the trumpet’s last call.

IF I DARE

I’ll sing a little song

Of you dear one,

’Twill be long as the day

And bright like the sun

If I dare.

I’ll gather from the garden

This big red rose

To kiss your cheeks

While sweet breezes blow

If I dare.

Your face is ne’er out of my dreams

Deep in my heart sweet memories bring,

Oh! I will love you, dear, you only,

Till death with bitterness bring

If I dare.

My mind is with you

Though my eyes are in tears,

My heart is being pierced

With Cupid’s golden spear,

But yet I’d return

If I dare.

Oh! how sad with you

Were my past,

The present was sweet

So long as it lasts.

JUST NOW

No one knows, and no one sees,

No one gives my heart any ease,

Just now.

If I could speak to the one I love

My heart would lose that feeling that makes me mourn like a dove,

Just now.

Once you shadowed me in my dreams,

But that, too, is gone it really seems,

Just now.

The years are bringing my sorrow fast

And my wakeful nights won’t come to their last,

Just now.

THE VOICE OF A ROSE

The rose that spoke

To her dying soul

Is the rose ne’er let

Our love grow cold.

With each breath

She’d sigh and say,

This rose tells me

There’s a brighter day.

And when that rose

Begins to die,

She’d kiss its petals,

Then tenderly cry.

A PHOTO

If I only had a photo

Of my happy days

To hang on this wall of misery,

That’s weakening my better ways.

Oh! come, oh! gentle vision,

Of long, long ago,

And make that happy picture

That I once use to know.

Paint those beautiful eyes,

That did always shine

And liven my trembling lips

That they taught to speak words unkind.

Why my lips us to part

With a loving, tender smile,

But those days are stolen

That meant me life worth while.

GOOD FATE

On a dark and stormy night

Far ahead shined a little light,

It was a warning

With sorrow dawning,

For the train that approached.

Fastly into sight

Towards the bridge that held ill fate

The flagman awakened but a moment to late,

For there flowed through a madly stream

Lifting the bridge clear off its beam.

All in a moment the engine ran out of steam

And spying there ahead no light could be seen.

Speaking to the fireman the engineer said,

It’s a heavenly blessing our engine ran dead.

SPRINGTIME

The birds are singing

While nature is bringing,

All of its beauty to show.

The little wild flowers

With sunshine and showers

Are the things that we love so.

They gladden our hearts

And strengthen our souls,

Making life seem young

To those growing old.

There’s the beautiful budding

Of the dogwood trees,

It’s a shaking and waking

For the little honey bees.

To let them know

That nature brought back

With a whole summer’s sweetness

In her blossoms its packed.

MY HEAVENLY THOUGHTS

Oh! heavenly Father,

To our souls give mirth,

Let dwell with us no evil spirit

While on this sinful earth.

Strengthen our weak and humble minds,

Through our hearts let righteousness flow,

Keep us away from worldly things,

For when Thou call we’re sure to go.

A POET’S PIER

A humble but ambitious poet

That writes on the beauties of life,

Is brilliantly guided onwards

By the love of his dear sweet wife.

In each and every thought

She is truly his golden pier.

She leads him on to untold success

Where he enjoys a brighter career.

Into a garden of roses

Where soft breezes blow,

There she’s always near him

To let his sweeter thoughts flow.

To her he gathers and gives

A beautiful big pink rose,

To show that his love’s still burning,

And for her it could ne’er repose.

And when he awakens out of his dreams

There is music to her ears,

For all the poems that he writes

He reads to his wifey dear.

WELCOME SPRING

On comes spring

With its loving breeze

Soon there’s the budding

Of the flowers and trees.

How my heart swells

When they begin to peep,

For I know they’re back

From their long winter’s sleep.

MY RUBY MONTROSE

As I sit and dream

On the water side,

My mind is traveling

Like the high rolling tide.

No matter how fast

Or where it goes

With it my thoughts

Of my Ruby Montrose.

No matter how dark

And stormy the night,

My mind still wanders

By my strong lovelight

Holding a secret

That nobody knows,

And guided by the thought

Of my Ruby Montrose.

Now I’ve gained her love renown,

The world will smile and cease to frown.

The summer breeze that always blows

Will refreshen the love of my Ruby Montrose.

I ne’er grow tired of the words I write,

They are my soul and my heart’s delight.

They hold more sweetness than any flower that grows,

For in them’s the thought of my Ruby Montrose.

BEAUTY AND UGLY

When beauty fades away

Ugly approaches soon,

But when ugly fades away

Our place is lost beneath the moon.

THE BLESSING OF GOD

Close not thy door

To the blessing of God,

Just e’er be humble

And spare the rod.

And when you see a friend

Downhearted and cold

Longing for the warmth

Of a spirited soul,

Just open the heart.

Though it may seem odd,

But to you will come the blessings

Of our own God.

No link or links tighter ties

Than those that are blending to the human lives,

Quote this to memory to have and to hold,

And liven up the spirit when you’re grown old,

And when on earth you’re done

Then you can rest beneath the sod,

For your door was always open

To the blessings of God.

SIXTY-ONE

Down on the southern plantation,

From sixty-one on back

Our forefathers were shackled in slavery,

And lived in huts and shacks,

But this shows they’re loyal

Hum, a negro as you glance,

But their grandsons are answering the roll call

Somewhere in France.

A VISION FROM THE FIRESIDE

Before the fire at night

When all was quite still,

I had nature’s sweetest dream,

And its beautiful old green hills.

Oh! that lovely photo,

That appeared in the little blue blaze

Showed summer with all its beauty

And how the cattle used to graze.

Then came a sigh,

Though followed by a smile,

For the summer’s balmy breeze

Made me feel like a child.

But dashed against the window

The chilly howling winds

That takes my vision in a snowdrift

And how my heart does pine.

THORNY LOVE

There’s a vision of your well known face,

Shining like my love that’s gone to waste.

I see your smiles as natural now,

And the way I loved you, for you taught me how.

Now I’m in a path that usually leads

Down to degradation.

My poor heart bleeds

When I think of our separation.

THE BATTLE OF HEARTS

Our hearts have met

On the battlefield of love,

Cupid is our general

In his aeroplane above.

But my poor heart’s

Crying for peace,

My love for you

Could ne’er decease.

And if fate guides the battle

So our hearts doesn’t blend,

Just picture how sad

Will be the end.

TO REMIND YOU

Just a tender missive dear

As the days are drifting by,

And oh! I see your smiling face

When e’er I look into the sky.

JUST TO REMIND YOU

Smiles always gladden my heart

As the years come and go;

And should I be the longest liver

They’ll ne’er be buried beneath the snow.

One day of sorrow

To a brilliant and happy mind

Tears down its concrete thoughts

To sail the ocean of brine.

THE SINKING SHIP

The winds howled o’er

The dashing sea,

The ship was foundered

At half past three.

The captain yelled,

Life boats lowered!

There was a noise

Like a cannon roar,

’Twas the boilers burst below.

Then said the captain

Brave but slow,

It’s too late, boys,

We all must go.

SPRING’S EASTER LILY

(To my wife Ruby)

By the walk way grew

Spring’s Easter lily

Wet with the morning dew,

But with love I gave to Billy.

Now there is your petals nice and yellow

And rich as the dripping of gold.

So why are you lonely, little fellow,

You’ve won me, heart and soul.

Would you love to be a little present

And one that isn’t silly

To the sweetest little pheasant

My dearest, darling Billy.

MY SHIP OF THOUGHTS

Anchored deep in mid ocean

Are my ship of thoughts,

I should sail out and get them,

That’s just what I ought.

For once they run smooth

With calmness of the sea,

Bringing all of love’s beauty

Back home to me.

In a mad rushing storm,

But she would stand as brave,

When each flash of lightning

Showed the depth of her grave.

There’s no lighthouse

To guide her in,

Nor to raise her anchor

From the wages of sin.

THE SOUL OF A BUD

A darling little maiden

So sweet, so fair,

With tiny dimples

And beauty so rare,

But I wonder if goodness knows

If she e’er could repose.

From the sweet loving manner

She gave me this rose,

Now this tiny little bud

Seems to whisper in my ear,

Saying hearts of hearts with tenderness

To one another are dear.

ONE’S NEXT BEST FRIEND

I was lost in the valley

All veiled with fog,

Back o’er the hill

Was a howl of a dog.

He was doing his bit

In trying to keep peace,

For his dear old master

Had just deceased.

In that old cabin

Was a dear little child;

The wolves rushed around

Madly and wild.

On came the morn,

But I’d grown pale.

The sun came up and

Removed the veil.

Then I jogged along

O’er the bumpy ground,

I stopped at this cabin

And there I found

A wonderful baby!

With eyes so bright

’Twould light the way

Through the darkest night.

From under the bed

Came a grunt of a hog,

I knelt and found

’Twas that little dog.

CREATION

We are all created by our Father above

And one’s no better than the other

When we keepeth His command.

HUMIN TU DE AIR

Raifield, yo aks like a ole time barh

Round heah a studen al in despah;

No Ise humin tu de air.

Stah clean awafum dat pot uv mine,

Caus when dah’s wok yo’s hard tu find.

Well, sur; ef he ain’t eten my pie I du declah,

I ges yo call dat a humin tu de air.

Yes, I members de uder dah

When Lindy Jones wus don dis wah

An yo all had a powful lot tu say,

Caus I no’s she am purty an mity fair,

But yo’ll lose yo home ef dats humin tu de air.

Now I want yo tu tucker an lef me go,

An don’t yo nebber cros my doah.

Yawll goner make one hungry pair

Caus yo can’t make a libben humin tu de air.

IN MY THOUGHTS OF YOU

Now I sit and look in space

My brightest hopes has gone to waste,

The rose of my dreams

Won’t bloom it seems

While my mind’s anchored deep

In my thoughts of you.

No one knows how my heart does ache,

No one sees my nights of wake.

The moon is hidden behind the clouds,

The stars peep through an all dark shroud

In my thoughts of you.

MY DEAREST DARLING RUBY

Fate had lost my treasure

In the valley of dehuby,

Time led on and there I found

My dearest, darling Ruby.

All my days I hunted in vain

Through ice, sleet, snow and rain.

And on the darkest day,

This was my pay,

My dearest, darling Ruby.

Only death can part us dear,

If away a moment it seems like a year,

Life for me would ne’er be bright,

The stars would fail to shine at night

Without my dearest, darling, Ruby.

HERE AND THERE

Here’s the rose, that bloomed in the spring,

There’s its petals flying.

Here’s my heart, that wants your love,

There like that flower, it is dying.

Here’s to a day, and its sunshine,

There to east is a cloud,

There in a moment, it could hide the sun,

Here all nature’s heads, will be bowed.

Here’s my thoughts of yesterday,

There’s my thoughts of tomorrow,

Here the ladder shows a brightness,

There goes sorrow.

Look on both

The bright and dark side of life

And there your faults may be found.

ONE SWEET DREAM

In looking way ahead

Into the distant time

So beautiful is my thoughts

If I can make them rhyme.

Long beside the road

Is a bungalow for two,

In my wonderful vision

’Twas built for me and you.

My heart was the hammer,

My soul clinched the nails,

’Twas finished with my love

To withstand the on coming gale.

DARLING EDNA MAY

(To Mr. and Mrs. Poindexter)

How sad was this Christmas,

Though for some ’twas a happy day,

But mourns a mother and father

For their darling Edna May.

But she’s gone on into glory

To soar the golden way,

She knows no sorrow like mother and father

For their darling Edna May.

Though on and on through the distant years,

When mother and father are old and gray,

Christmas brings saddest memories

Of their darling Edna May.

LIFE’S PRETTY WAY

Oh! how nice

When the sun is shining bright,

To take a long walk

While breezes blow light.

It revives your soul,

Your heart is gay

Strolling the road

Of life’s pretty way.

You’ll walk on the grass

So beautiful and green,

And gone art your memories

Of the past winter’s scene.

You’ll enjoy all the love

In this bright summer’s day,

Wandering the road

Of life’s pretty way.

RAS BAYLEM’S SPEECH

Ladies an gentlems, fello citisans, it behooves me wid de mostest ux tudigrad

To stood be fo sich coteligent audance, dat it makes me base my talk, down

Around John’s tato-pach about de third or de fouf hill, am, am, am.

We am interin de war at de mos critical time,

And I want all yo colored citisans tu fall rite in line,

Don’t bother den slackers cause yo nearins’ dangers do,

Dis am de only country dat any uv us know.

Stah wah dem Germans cause dah puts foolness in yo head,

Gis reach up an kiss O Glorie an wish de Kaiser am dead.

MY DREAM

I thought I’d forgotten you, dearie,

But you returned in my golden dream.

The distant years faded you in person,

But again you’re fresh in memory it seems.

Just like the rose wants morning dew,

That’s how my dream makes me want you.

Cruel fate and time has drifted us apart,

I smile on the world, but no one knows my heart.

Oh! let me dream both night and day,

That I may dream my sorrows away

Into a land of passing breeze

To give my heart one moment’s ease.

A SAILOR’S FATE

Lowered deep was the anchor

As the waves rolled high,

With thought of loved ones

Between each sigh.

This was their minds

As they gazed into the sky,

Making peace with their Savior,

For they knew they had to die.

Have mercy on us, Lord, as we pray to Thee

Save us as we’re descending down,

Let us go not, without the holy ground.

Glad hearts often

Through broken hearts ring,

To teach the voice

A little song to sing.

AT EVE

From behind the clouds

Peeps the golden sun,

To kiss the rose,

Because the day is done.

SHE SAID. THEN HE SAID THE REST

Oh! my lovely walk,

Down love’s shady way,

The birds soft, sweet singing

Adds beauty to the day.

TRUE

Have you ever stopped to think, my friend,

Of your simple life from beginning to end.

It pays us now to pull with strife

For youth comes but once in life.

There’s two paths up and down the hill

To seek one or the other is your own free will.

CUPID

The moment I saw

Your dear sweet face,

Cupid with its arrow

Took its place.

Be not discouraged over life’s hard struggle,

Have brighter thoughts and discouragement shrugs.

MY THOUGHTS OF IT

Love is a link, a connector of hearts,

Allow no one to tear it apart.

It’s a food for heart, soul and mind,

True love is ever blind.

THE THOUGHT OF A CHILD

Train your children manners and behavior

While around the cradle they creep,

Then good tidings will ever follow them

After you sleep in the deep.

A GENIUS

On yonder hill sits a genius

In heaven’s guiding hand,

That pours his thoughts just as he writes

His power is God not man.

FOR MY HEART

When the heart is crippled

And the soul cannot be raised,

Just think of dear old mother

That’s the spark that lights the blaze.

ROUND RY ROUND

Just a word of consolation

While I dream night and day,

Will help me climb the ladder of fame

Though the top is far away.

A THOUGHT WE SHOULD HAVE

My heart at times loses a beat,

But the trouble will ne’er be known,

For I have that much mother wit

Each tub has a bottom of its own.

It’s easy to be good in life,

But hard to be faultless.

Good thoughts on the mind

Should lie deep in the heart.

So bountifully in, flows the word keep peace.

Dare not e’er to intrude.

A man who smiles through the deepest of sorrow

To his own heart adds a value untold.

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Table of Contents

My Valued Ruby

DEDICATION

CONTENTS

My Valued Ruby

THE STAR OF LIBERIA

DEFENSE

LOVE’S PRECAUTION

ON THE SUNNY SIDE OF LIFE

EIGHT NOBLEMEN

MY RUBY MONTROSE

A LIFELONG HAPPINESS

THE EVILS OF ALCOHOL

THE SUNSHINE OF YESTERDAY

GINGER BAY OUTING

MY WIFE

E’ER JANUWAH DE 2

FATE AND TIME

AFTER DE TOUN HALL SUPPER

WHAT WE OUGHT TO KNOW

SIE RANKENS AND HIS WIFE LIZZ (Satisfied)

LIEUTENANT RUFF

THE PARSON’S RESOLUTION

ON SUNDAY MORN

TOAST

MY LITTLE GIRL

A POET’S WIFE

A FROSTY MORN

THE LITTLE TOE DANCER

A SPARK OF LOVE

THE DEATH OF MRS. WORMSLEY

EASTER ROSES (To Mrs. Perry Honce McGee)

EYES

LAZY MULE

THROUGH THE MILL

A DROOPING ROSE

BECKER’S JEALOUSY

TRUELET

INCH BY INCH

THE PLACE WHERE LITTLE MARY LIVES

A QUESTION

MR. FINK

GRAY HEADS

HER SOLEMN THOUGHTS

YOUR EYES AND MY EYES

NATURAL BORN COLORED MAN

A BLOT ON LOVE

DE GOLDEN COW

MEMORIES

YOU ARE

GRAY EYES

PICNIC DAY

JUST AN IRISHMAN’S WAY

OFTEN TOLD

VIOLET AND YOU

MY WILL

OLEGRIA Composed May 27, 1920.

IN AN ALL OLD ROSE

LOVE’S REFLECTIONS

SUMMER IS GONE

IDLENESS

A SHADOW ON THE BEAUTY OF LIFE

HAPPY AND SORROW

THE SHAWL OF SIN

NATURE

DEMOCRACY

BREATH OF LOVE

THE CONVICT

ALWAYS

ALL

FADED LOVE

WHERE THE SUN NE’ER KISSED

THE BREATH OF A ROSE

THE WILD ROSE

A SONG OF A BROKEN HEART

THE END OF LIFE

A POET’S DARK DAY

MY THOUGHTS OF YOU

GOOD SPIRIT

A POET’S POWER

ROUGH ROAD

A POET’S THOUGHTS

WHAT WE GET

HIDDEN THOUGHTS

THE BEE AND THE ROSE

EASTER GREETING (To my wife Ruby)

A DIFFERENCE

MILDRED AND MARIE

LOVE DREAM

SADNESS

THERE MUST BE

MY DAILY PRAYER

THE THOUGHT OF A HUSBAND

MY LIKES

TO ALL

UNACQUAINTED

A SMILE

MOTHER’S DAY

THE BIRDS THAT SING TO ME

DREAM OF BYGONES

WHENE’ER CONSCIENCE SPEAKS

THE PLUCK OF A POET

LIFE PLAIN AS DAY

ONE SAD MORN

MY VIEW

THE FADING ROSES

FOR A WHILE

HEARTS THAT ARE TRUE

MY LOVE FOR YOU

MY LOVE

EVE DROPPER

MY DEAR BELOVED MOTHER

HIS LAST HOUR

IF I DARE

JUST NOW

THE VOICE OF A ROSE

A PHOTO

GOOD FATE

SPRINGTIME

MY HEAVENLY THOUGHTS

A POET’S PIER

WELCOME SPRING

MY RUBY MONTROSE

BEAUTY AND UGLY

THE BLESSING OF GOD

SIXTY-ONE

A VISION FROM THE FIRESIDE

THORNY LOVE

THE BATTLE OF HEARTS

TO REMIND YOU

JUST TO REMIND YOU

THE SINKING SHIP

SPRING’S EASTER LILY (To my wife Ruby)

MY SHIP OF THOUGHTS

THE SOUL OF A BUD

ONE’S NEXT BEST FRIEND

CREATION

HUMIN TU DE AIR

IN MY THOUGHTS OF YOU

MY DEAREST DARLING RUBY

HERE AND THERE

ONE SWEET DREAM

DARLING EDNA MAY (To Mr. and Mrs. Poindexter)

LIFE’S PRETTY WAY

RAS BAYLEM’S SPEECH

MY DREAM

A SAILOR’S FATE

AT EVE

SHE SAID. THEN HE SAID THE REST

TRUE

CUPID

MY THOUGHTS OF IT

THE THOUGHT OF A CHILD

A GENIUS

FOR MY HEART

ROUND RY ROUND

A THOUGHT WE SHOULD HAVE

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