To a Skating Negro

MAN of giant height and form,
Who, beside the Gambia river,
Oft amid the lightning-storm
Sawest the glittering Fetish quiver!

Who hast poured the Panther's hot
Life-blood out beneath the Equator,
And with poisoned arrow shot
Through red reeds the Alligator!

Wherefore art thou here? Why flies
Thy fleet foot o'er frozen places —
Thou, the child of tropic skies,
Cradled in the sun's embraces?

Thou that, reeking from the wave,
On thy war-horse often sprungest,
And around the Foulah slave
Guinea's badge of bondage flungest?

Oh, at home, amid thy mates,
There, where skulls tattooed and gory
Whiten high o'er palace-gates,
Let me see thee in thy glory!

Where gold gum from bursten trees
Oozes like the slime of Lethe,
As in dreams my spirit sees,
Let mine eyes in daylight see thee!

See thee, far from our chill North,
"Which thou in thy soul abhorrest,
Chase the Koomozeno forth
Through the boundless banyan-forest!

See thee, in thine own rich land,
Decked with gems of barbarous beauty,
Keeping watch, with spear in hand,
O'er thy ManzaV piles of booty!

Whirling, gliding here along,
Ever shifting thy position,
Thou resemblest, in this throng,
Some strange African magician,

"Who, within the enchanted Ring,
All the hosts of Hell deiieth,
Or, upborne on Griffin-wing,
Through Zahara's desert flieth!

Oh! when sunny Spring once more
Melts the ice of western oceans,
Hie thee back to that loved shore
Where were born thy first emotions!

There around thy jetblack head
Bright gold dust in garlands flashes —
Here hoar frost and snows instead
Strew it but with silver ashes!