Social Commentaries
I'd Rather Be a Negro Than a Poor White Man
From Negro Folk Rhymes (1922)
My name's Ran, I wuks in de san';
But I'd druther be a Nigger dan a pō' white man.
Gwineter hitch my oxes side by side,
An' take my gal fer a big fine ride.
Gwineter take my gal to de country stō';
Gwineter dress her up in red calico.
You take Kate, an' I'll take Joe.
Den off we'll go to de pahty-o.
Gwineter take my gal to de Hullabaloo,
Whar dere hain't no Crackers in a mile or two.
Interlocution:
(Fiddler) "Oh, Sal! Whar's de milk
strainer cloth?"
(Banjo Picker) "Bill's got it wropped
'round his ole sore leg."
(Fiddler) "Well, take it down to de
gum spring an' give it a cold water
rench; I 'spizes nastness anyway.
I'se got to have a clean
cloth fer de milk."
He don't lak whisky but he jest drinks a can.
Honey! I'd druther be a Nigger dan a pō' white man.
I'd druther be a Nigger, an' plow ole Beck
Dan a white Hill Billy wid his long red neck.
Cite this poem
MLA
Thomas W. Talley (collector). “I'd Rather Be a Negro Than a Poor White Man.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/talley/58/.
Chicago
Thomas W. Talley (collector). “I'd Rather Be a Negro Than a Poor White Man.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/talley/58/.
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