 | Coffin's Poems with Ajax' Ordeals |  |
From Degradation Through Supplication to Education.
The Negro.
I was once far from civilization,
As vile as a Negro could be;
I wondered if all the creation,
Could save a poor Negro like me.
As vile as a Negro could be;
I wondered if all the creation,
Could save a poor Negro like me.
I wandered on in the darkness,
Not a ray of light could I see;
And it filled my heart with sadness,
No hope for a Negro like me.
Not a ray of light could I see;
And it filled my heart with sadness,
No hope for a Negro like me.
But by the wondrous work of God,
The world's second Moses came;
And through the sea of civil strife,
Brought liberty instead of shame.
The world's second Moses came;
And through the sea of civil strife,
Brought liberty instead of shame.
From then I started out in life,
To make a race pride mark;
But prejudice from my enemies,
Kept holding me in the dark.
To make a race pride mark;
But prejudice from my enemies,
Kept holding me in the dark.
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And yet within that self same race,
There are some valiant men;
Who gave both their time and means,
To remove this dreadful sin.
There are some valiant men;
Who gave both their time and means,
To remove this dreadful sin.
My enemies both reared and kicked,
I could only wait and trust;
But good men defended my cause,
Like Doctors Hartzell and Rust.
I could only wait and trust;
But good men defended my cause,
Like Doctors Hartzell and Rust.
“Shall the Negro be educated?”
Is being discussed by some;
But while they are discussing,
The good work's being done.
Is being discussed by some;
But while they are discussing,
The good work's being done.
No longer in darkness I wander,
Education is shining on me;
And unto my brothers I'm trying,
To give an education free.
Education is shining on me;
And unto my brothers I'm trying,
To give an education free.
Dear Lord, I'll e'er give thanks to Thee,
For Thy unspeakable gift,
In bringing me out of darkness,
And allowing a chance to lift.
For Thy unspeakable gift,
In bringing me out of darkness,
And allowing a chance to lift.
And with my thanks I ask Thy aid,
For those in degradation,
That they may share e'en with me,
In Christian education.
For those in degradation,
That they may share e'en with me,
In Christian education.
| Coffin's Poems with Ajax' Ordeals | |