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Plantation echoes

Chapter 23: HUSTLE.
By Elliott Blaine Henderson
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Poetry

About This Book

A short collection of poems written in a period phonetic dialect that evokes rural plantation life and folk-song rhythms. The pieces range from playful and humorous to plaintive and reflective, depicting work, home, music, seasonal change, and communal gatherings through repetition, colloquial idiom, and musical cadence. Many poems adopt a performative voice and narrative vignette form to capture local speech and sentiment. Several passages employ slang and stereotyped language rooted in their historical moment, which modern readers may find offensive.

HUSTLE.

Doan’ lag an’ fool
Erlong de way—
Hus’el!
Doan’ ’spec’ to do
All in er day—
Hus’el!
Things will cum
Out by an’ by,
Musen’ stop
To stew an’ sigh.
Den’s when success
May be nigh—
Hus’el!
Take no time
Fo’ lookin’ back—
Hus’el!
T’ see whose cumin’
On de track—
Hus’el!
Ebbry time
Yo’s losin’ groun’,
Time yo’ take
Fo’ gawkin ’roun’.
Ef yo’ ’spec’
To git er crown—
Hus’el!
Ef yo’ ’spec’
Er good co’n crop—
Hus’el!
Nebah git it
Ef yo’ stop—
Hus’el!
Ef yo’ ’spec’
De corn to gro’
Full co’n stawks
In ebbry ro’,
Doan’ be skaid
To use de hoe—
Hus’el!
Take no time
To argufy—
Hus’el!
T’ make sum fellah
Out er lie—
Hus’el!
Ha’f de time
Yo’s losin’ win’,
Same time doin’
Er little sin.
Aftah all
Yo’ nuffin in—
Hus’el!