William Waring Cuney

She does not know her beauty, she thinks her brown body has no glory. If she could dance naked under palm trees and see her image in the river, she would know. But there are no palm trees on the street, and dish water gives back no images.

Some folks hollered hard times in nineteen-twenty-nine. In nineteen-twenty-eight say I was way behind. Some folks hollered hard times because hard times were new. Hard times is all I ever had, why should I lie to you? Some folks hollered hard times. What is it all about? Things were bad for me when those hard times started out.

Went down home ’bout a year ago things so bad, Lord, my heart was sore. Folks had nothing was a sin and shame every-body said hard time was the blame. Great-God-a-mighty folks feeling bad lost every thing they ever had. Sun was shining fourteen days and no rain hoeing and planting was all in vain. Hard hard times, Lord, all around meal barrels empty crops burnt to the ground. Great-God-a-mighty folks feeling bad lost every thing they ever had. Skinny looking children bellies poking out that old pellagra without a doubt. Old folks hanging ’round the cabin door ain’t seen times this hard before. Great-God-a-mighty folks feeling bad lost every thing they ever had. I went to the Boss at the Commissary store folks all starving please don’t close your door want more food a little more time to pay Boss Man laughed and walked away. Great-God-a-mighty folks feeling bad lost every thing they ever had. Landlord coming ’round when the rent is due you ain’t got the money take your home from you take your mule and horse even take your cow get offa my land you ain’t no good no how. Great-God-a-mighty folks feeling bad lost every thing they ever had.