 | Coffin's Poems with Ajax' Ordeals |  |
Ajax' Fright.
There's a dreadful horror 'bout me,
That nothing drives away;
It's with me in my night dreams,
It's with me every day.
That nothing drives away;
It's with me in my night dreams,
It's with me every day.
187
It makes the night appear so short,
The bed is hard and cold;
It makes the days appear so long
To both the young and old.
The bed is hard and cold;
It makes the days appear so long
To both the young and old.
Must I arise from out my bed,
And start my daily work?
The lynchers, just for meanness, will
My head from body jerk.
And start my daily work?
The lynchers, just for meanness, will
My head from body jerk.
To die like a man by gun or shield,
Such a death I do not fear;
No other death 'ld be worst to feel,
Than to leave my loved ones here.
Such a death I do not fear;
No other death 'ld be worst to feel,
Than to leave my loved ones here.
But fear of being lynched for naught
Makes all one's senses start;
To be chased by hounds and hell-hounds
Draws pangs to bleeding hearts.
Makes all one's senses start;
To be chased by hounds and hell-hounds
Draws pangs to bleeding hearts.
I hear the hell-hounds yelping,
They're coming 'cross the plain;
With bloodshot eyes and gnashing teeth,
For blood of a Negro's veins.
They're coming 'cross the plain;
With bloodshot eyes and gnashing teeth,
For blood of a Negro's veins.
I've never harmed a white man,
They can't be after me;
But oh! when they're blood thirsty,
Innocence is no plea.
They can't be after me;
But oh! when they're blood thirsty,
Innocence is no plea.
188
There's stirring in my back yard,
There's fumbling under my floor,
Great God they seem to smell me!
The lynchers are at my door!
There's fumbling under my floor,
Great God they seem to smell me!
The lynchers are at my door!
| Coffin's Poems with Ajax' Ordeals | |