I just say he was a Louisiana man

Poems by John Henry Dryden.

And he even could beat the champion

Stood in the rain, flagged the east bound train. https://blackthen.com/poem-birth-john-henry-melvin-b-tolson That he laid down his hammah and he cried. He is black, blacker. ", John Henry said to the captain (what he say?) Goin' to see her brave steel drivin' man. His gums was blue, his voice was mellow While Polly handled steel like a man man man I would always askif we could've tried harder. Blue. And never get tired and want to rest, Lord, Lord.

Polly handled steel like a man. settin' on his mammy's knee grow. leader on a steel-driving gang, "Well", the captain said to John Henry © Academy of American Poets, 75 Maiden Lane, Suite 901, New York, NY 10038, If you believe what you hear, he was everywhere. Daddy would curse wildly, sometimes, about the car, sometimes about the game. John Henry had a little woman ", Now the Shaker said to John Henry The Renaissance along with the invention of Bebop were one of the most important cultural movements of the last half of the 20th Century. She rubs my head &says: The lack of it isn’t the worst thing to happento them. The children are lithe & descend one after, another after another—squinting, lifting their hands to shield. But if it happened that often, there had to be more than one, or maybe it was everyoneor all of us and maybe he stood down there at the cold face, shoulders stooped and begged a mountain movewhich we all have done some time or another. Broken things.

While the steam drill only made nine, Lord, Lord. Leader of a steel-driving chain gang All poems are shown free of charge for educational purposes only in accordance with fair use guidelines. Copyrighted poems are the property of the copyright holders. In one story, they say it. The day he was born in the Mississippi bottom He made a meal on buttermilk and sorghum Big John Henry

Constantdiscrepancies. She’s gone.

It'll be your buryin' day day day How he learned to whistle from the which said no, and no, and no like so many stones. Nothin’ but my hammer suckin’ wind.” The man that invented the steam drill Thought he was mighty fine But John Henry made 15 ft. Saying, "Hammer's going to be the death of me, Lord, Lord, Hammer's going to be the death of me."
Baby girl, he’d say. Find and share the perfect poems. He'd hammer with a nine-pound hammer all day. ", Some say he's born in Texas Tomorrow'll be your burying day, Lord, Lord. Please let At first, he careens away, then back toward usonly to ascend, blacking out the sun until he climbshigh enough that he is swallowed by it altogether. Maybe he, prayed for strength to move it as we do some time oranother. If you believe what you hear, he was everywherefrom Virginia to Alabama just beyond every holler. A mess o' peas and a bait o' tunnips Funny.

Everyone up here called me crazy but I couldn’t do nothing but what seemed right. John Henry was a man just six feet high, Nearly two feet and a half across his breast. than anyone I’d ever seen—iridescent, glowing with it. Road Is gonna be the death of me, Gonna be the death of me." And I'll beat that steam drill down, Lord, Lord, But John Henry said, "Captain, just you stand aside--. “I’d been thinking about work and what women and persons of color endure. Nearly two feet and a half across his breast. Drapped him ovah, wide Lawd! Tain't nothin' but my hammah suckin' wind. Maybe he, prayed for strength to move it as we do some time or, another. And he useta work for Uncle Sam. He made a meal on buttermilk and sorghum

played before my face. I’d pop the hood,peer into the sooty inside and Daddy would pass me parts, for my small hands to tender to each need. He is black, blackerthan anyone I’d ever seen—iridescent, glowing with it.I’m so moved that I dart between the guards toward him& hold him in my arms & where I touch him, feathersgrow. But before I let your steam drill beat me down. John Henry Newman 1801-1890 • Ranked #1269 in the top 2000 poets "I am an old man; my hair white, my eyes sunk in . Page At the time, that’s what we could afford.

is more plausible because only a man who lives in darknesscan be felled by the light. John Henry's liddle mother; Was all dressed in red, She jumped in bed, covered up her head, Said I didn't know my boy was dead, Said I didn't know my boy was dead. there lies a steel-drivin' man!". A boy hearsus talking & stares right back at me. SometimesMama called for one or the other of us from upstairs and, I’d trudge up to see what she wanted with a sigh.We sighed so much then. shooter Skinnin' mules and catchin' barracuda The children are lithe & descend one afteranother after another—squinting, lifting their hands to shieldtheir eyes from the burning light of this new country.I ask her: But will they be loved? That he laid down his hammah and he cried. Her name was Polly Anne 'Bout Big John Henry that could start to tell He picked up a hammer and a little piece of steel. Saying, "Hammer's going to be the death of me, Lord, Lord.