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 | Coffin's Poems with Ajax' Ordeals |  |
The evening shade was gathering now, the surging waters roll'd,
And Ajax felt the cool night wind, it seemed to fan his soul.
Unruly winds began to cease and zephyr's breezes rose
The lotus plant from water's depths before his gaze reposed.
The solemn river loiter'd on its way quite unconcerned.
The palm trees shook their nodding heads and stoop'd to greet the fern.
The Jackall slipping on the bank knew Ajax' skin was black
He snapp'd his teeth he thought t'was law his fleshless bones to crack:
The guiding stars began to show, the day went into night
And like a phantom ship at sea they drifted out of sight.
The planks, call'd ship on which they rode, went calmly down the river—
And no one knows unto this day which was the longest liver.
Did Ajax kill the white man? O no, his heart was tender!
Did white man kill poor Ajax? his heart was rash a timber!
Did both of them drift to the gulf and make a feast for whales;
Did both of them escape and shall we yet hear both their tales?
If poor Ajax is yet alive and dwells upon the land,
He'll write a book to shake this world and make men understand.
And Ajax felt the cool night wind, it seemed to fan his soul.
Unruly winds began to cease and zephyr's breezes rose
The lotus plant from water's depths before his gaze reposed.
The solemn river loiter'd on its way quite unconcerned.
244
The Jackall slipping on the bank knew Ajax' skin was black
He snapp'd his teeth he thought t'was law his fleshless bones to crack:
The guiding stars began to show, the day went into night
And like a phantom ship at sea they drifted out of sight.
The planks, call'd ship on which they rode, went calmly down the river—
And no one knows unto this day which was the longest liver.
Did Ajax kill the white man? O no, his heart was tender!
Did white man kill poor Ajax? his heart was rash a timber!
Did both of them drift to the gulf and make a feast for whales;
Did both of them escape and shall we yet hear both their tales?
If poor Ajax is yet alive and dwells upon the land,
He'll write a book to shake this world and make men understand.
| Coffin's Poems with Ajax' Ordeals | |