Contents -BIBLIOGRAPHIC RECORD

James Weldon Johnson, ed. (1871–1938). The Book of American Negro Poetry. 1922.

De Drum Majah

HE’S struttin’ sho ernuff,

Wearin’ a lady’s muff

En’ ways erpon his head,

Red coat ob reddest red,

Purtty white satin ves’,

Gole braid ercross de ches’;

Goa’ness! he cuts a stunt,

Prancin’ out dar in frunt,

Leadin’ his ban’.

Wen dat ah whistle blows,

Each man behine him knows

’Zacklee whut he mus’ do;

You bet! he dues it, too.

Wen dat brass stick he twirls,

Ole maids an’ lub-sick gurls

Looks on wid longin’ eyes,

Dey simpley idolize

Dat han’sum man.

Sweet fife an’ piccalo,

Bofe warblin’ sof’ an’ lo’,

Slide ho’n an’ saxophones,

Jazz syncopated tones,

Snare drum an’ lead cornet,

Alto an’ clarinet,

Las’, but not least, dar cum

Cymbals an’ big bass drum—

O! whut a ban’!

Cose, we all undahstan’

Each piece he’ps maik de ban’,

But dey all mus’ be led,

Sum one mus’ be de head

No doubt, de centipede

Has all de laigs he need,

But take erway de head,

Po’ centipede am dead;

So am de ban’.