 | Coffin's Poems with Ajax' Ordeals |  |
194
Ajax' Meditations.
If I should die
Today or tomorrow,
And my soul fly,
Into bliss or sorrow,
Would any who never saw my face,
Know that on this earth I had filled a place?
Today or tomorrow,
And my soul fly,
Into bliss or sorrow,
Would any who never saw my face,
Know that on this earth I had filled a place?
If I should sail
Away on some great ship,
And in a gale
Should end my earthly trip,
Would anyone while riding o'er the waves,
Remember me while in my wat'ry grave?
Away on some great ship,
And in a gale
Should end my earthly trip,
Would anyone while riding o'er the waves,
Remember me while in my wat'ry grave?
If I should stray,
Way off in the wild woods,
And be the prey
To vicious wild beasthood,
Would future men while lev'ling down the plain,
Know that I'd ever been in this domain?
Way off in the wild woods,
And be the prey
To vicious wild beasthood,
Would future men while lev'ling down the plain,
Know that I'd ever been in this domain?
If I, at home,
Were quietly sleep in bed;
And lynchers roamed,
To tar and burn my head,
They would prevent my friends from burying me
Could future men say that I used to be?
Were quietly sleep in bed;
And lynchers roamed,
To tar and burn my head,
They would prevent my friends from burying me
Could future men say that I used to be?
195
If when I'm dead,
The future children come,
With joyous tread
And human beating drums,
Will they while either at their work or play,
Remember that poor Ajax had a day?
The future children come,
With joyous tread
And human beating drums,
Will they while either at their work or play,
Remember that poor Ajax had a day?
Songsters will sing,
While I am dead and gone;
Their echo'll ring,
And thrill the living throng,
Will any songs remind the living men,
That poor Ajax upon the earth has been?
While I am dead and gone;
Their echo'll ring,
And thrill the living throng,
Will any songs remind the living men,
That poor Ajax upon the earth has been?
A cent'ry hence,
While boys and girls in school,
Upon the bench
Obey the teacher's rule,
Will any book show them the deeds and acts,
Of trembling, poor, despis'd, oppress'd Ajax?
While boys and girls in school,
Upon the bench
Obey the teacher's rule,
Will any book show them the deeds and acts,
Of trembling, poor, despis'd, oppress'd Ajax?
God hold my hand,
And give me power to write,
Give me command,
That I may say what's right.
I'll write a book before I leave this land,
To show the world that Ajax was a man.
And give me power to write,
Give me command,
That I may say what's right.
I'll write a book before I leave this land,
To show the world that Ajax was a man.
| Coffin's Poems with Ajax' Ordeals | |