Look, God,
We've got a nigger here
To burn;
A goddam nigger,
And we're goin' to plunge
His cringin' soul
To Hell!
Now watch him
Squirm and wriggle
While we swing him
From this tree!
And listen, God,
You'll laugh at this
I know—
He wants to pray
Before we stage
This show!
He's scared
And can't remember
What to say—
Imagine, God,
A nigger tryin'
To pray!
Lean over, God,
And listen while we tell
This fool
The words
He couldn't even
Spell!
"Our Father
Who art in Heaven,"
(Say it again!)
"Thy will be done
On earth . . ." (Laugh, God!)
"Amen!"
To Hell with him!
Come on, men,
Swing him high!
A prayin' nigger,
Golly—
Watch him die!
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Comments
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The poem shocks right through to the soul, it is so graphic it truly wrings my heart. I dont know how it is that a poem like this remains here unread and uncommented upon, what I really admire is that it captures so many things... the ignorance of the people, the pompous arrogance of the ignorant who do not realise that they r taking the life of God's creation, how people do it in the name of religion is beyond me and it still goes on and on and people who do these ghastly deeds still think they are actually doing good. how misguided can they get. Its a horrble picture of horrible realities that happened and still go on happening in other places under other names, mans cruelty to man.
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