 | Coffin's Poems with Ajax' Ordeals |  |
Ajax at the Centennial.
1897.
Ajax went over to Nashville,
To attend the great centennial;
And a white man asked him rashly
About the race in general.
To attend the great centennial;
And a white man asked him rashly
About the race in general.
“Ajax, tell me the whole sequel;
Your father was my father's slave,
And now you stand as my equal,
On this educational wave.”
Your father was my father's slave,
And now you stand as my equal,
On this educational wave.”
208
And Ajax paused for a moment,
Slightly hanging down his head;
And then from the depth of conscience,
These are the words that he said:
Slightly hanging down his head;
And then from the depth of conscience,
These are the words that he said:
“You know it was sixteen-nineteen,
When my first African brother,
Sailed over here in a canteen,
And called America his mother.
When my first African brother,
Sailed over here in a canteen,
And called America his mother.
He climbed up degradation's hill,
Two hundred and fifty years;
And over the Israelitic rills,
He waded through heartaches and tears.
Two hundred and fifty years;
And over the Israelitic rills,
He waded through heartaches and tears.
In his efforts to leave degradation,
He was cramped, doomed in a cell;
Dishearten'd, discontent'd, discourag'd,
By a prejudice born in hell.
He was cramped, doomed in a cell;
Dishearten'd, discontent'd, discourag'd,
By a prejudice born in hell.
But through God's work, who guides man's life,
The world's second Moses came;
And through the sea of civil strife,
Brought freedom instead of shame.
The world's second Moses came;
And through the sea of civil strife,
Brought freedom instead of shame.
From there we started out in life,
To make a mark as a race;
But someone's ever causing strife,
Bringing on us a disgrace.
To make a mark as a race;
But someone's ever causing strife,
Bringing on us a disgrace.
209
You take the thousand oppressions,
That are hurled into our face;
And change them to progression,
Then we will be a race.
That are hurled into our face;
And change them to progression,
Then we will be a race.
My sir, it is a well-known fact,
That the Negroes' aim is high,
And if they'll stop holding him back,
He'll reach them unless he dies.
That the Negroes' aim is high,
And if they'll stop holding him back,
He'll reach them unless he dies.
He's in the national government,
He's been a military man;
And in these United States,
He's been surveyor of lands.
He's been a military man;
And in these United States,
He's been surveyor of lands.
He's widely known in medicine,
He's faced millions as teacher;
Thundered his eloquence at the bar,
He can't be excelled as preacher.
He's faced millions as teacher;
Thundered his eloquence at the bar,
He can't be excelled as preacher.
And in hundreds of newspapers,
He tones up ideas and thoughts;
In connection with his people,
To show what they have wrought.
He tones up ideas and thoughts;
In connection with his people,
To show what they have wrought.
As for a Southern laboring man,
His equal cannot be found;
And to find a regular Negro tramp,
You must search the country 'round.
His equal cannot be found;
And to find a regular Negro tramp,
You must search the country 'round.
210
In scholarship he's stood the test,
In the institute's at home;
And 'cross the sea—without a jest,
His eloquence is known.
In the institute's at home;
And 'cross the sea—without a jest,
His eloquence is known.
He's writing poetry books and prose,
To scatter over the land;
To show the depth from which he 'rose,
The height where now he stands.
To scatter over the land;
To show the depth from which he 'rose,
The height where now he stands.
A hundred thousand students now,
Behind the study desk;
Have fix'd a frown upon their brow,
They will not be oppressed.
Behind the study desk;
Have fix'd a frown upon their brow,
They will not be oppressed.
I think I see the coming time,
When this curs'd lynching land;
Will see the Negro's worth sublime,
And claim him as a man.
When this curs'd lynching land;
Will see the Negro's worth sublime,
And claim him as a man.
And my dear sir, fifty years hence,
When your grandchildren stand;
Ajax grandchildren's recompense,
Will show an equal man.
When your grandchildren stand;
Ajax grandchildren's recompense,
Will show an equal man.
A hundred years from now my friend,
Could you and I peep back;
We cannot tell your children then,
From those of poor Ajax.
Could you and I peep back;
We cannot tell your children then,
From those of poor Ajax.
| Coffin's Poems with Ajax' Ordeals | |