 | Coffin's Poems with Ajax' Ordeals |  |
Ajax Votes for McKinley.
Ajax went out to vote
On election day;
White man was standing 'round,
Things had gone his way.
On election day;
White man was standing 'round,
Things had gone his way.
Ajax had heard before
How the white man done,
Made Negroes vote with him
Or,—he had a gun.
How the white man done,
Made Negroes vote with him
Or,—he had a gun.
White man said to Ajax,
“Well, how do you stand?”
Ajax said to white man,
“Straight republican.”
“Well, how do you stand?”
Ajax said to white man,
“Straight republican.”
202
White man said to Ajax,
“Leave the poles at once.”
Ajax said to white man,
“You must be a dunce.”
“Leave the poles at once.”
Ajax said to white man,
“You must be a dunce.”
White man said to Ajax,
“You don't mean to go?”
Ajax said to white man,
“While I'm living—No!”
“You don't mean to go?”
Ajax said to white man,
“While I'm living—No!”
Ajax said, quite raging,
“This thing's got to stop,
Bossing Negroes' voting,
No more'll be a sop.”
“This thing's got to stop,
Bossing Negroes' voting,
No more'll be a sop.”
White man saw that Ajax
Was not like the rest;
Could not be bluffed away
With a little jest.
Was not like the rest;
Could not be bluffed away
With a little jest.
White man said to Ajax,
“Why are you so bold?”
Ajax said to white man,
“My rights to control.”
“Why are you so bold?”
Ajax said to white man,
“My rights to control.”
White man said to Ajax,
“I don't mean to fight.”
Ajax said to white man,
“I'm for peace and right.”
“I don't mean to fight.”
Ajax said to white man,
“I'm for peace and right.”
203
White man said to Ajax,
“Drop your war-like game.”
Ajax said to white man,
“When you do the same.”
“Drop your war-like game.”
Ajax said to white man,
“When you do the same.”
White man said to Ajax
“What'll you do to me?”
Ajax said to white man,
“Hit me and you'll see!”
“What'll you do to me?”
Ajax said to white man,
“Hit me and you'll see!”
White man said to Ajax,
“This will never do.”
Ajax said to white man,
“Sir, the same to you.”
“This will never do.”
Ajax said to white man,
“Sir, the same to you.”
White man said to Ajax,
“I'll the diet try.”
Ajax said to white man,
“Thank you, so will I.”
“I'll the diet try.”
Ajax said to white man,
“Thank you, so will I.”
Ajax showed the white man
He knew how to fight;
White man showed to Ajax
He could treat him right.
He knew how to fight;
White man showed to Ajax
He could treat him right.
| Coffin's Poems with Ajax' Ordeals | |