Etheridge Knight (1931 - 1991 / Mississippi)
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A Poem For Myself
I was born in Mississippi;
I walked barefooted thru the mud.
Born black in Mississippi,
Walked barefooted thru the mud.
But, when I reached the age of twelve
I left that place for good.
My daddy chopped cotton
And he drank his liquor straight.
Said my daddy chopped cotton
And he drank his liquor straight.
When I left that Sunday morning
He was leaning on the barnyard gate.
Left my mama standing
With the sun shining in her eyes.
Left her standing in the yard
With the sun shining in her eyes.
And I headed North
As straight as the Wild Goose Flies,
I been to Detroit & Chicago
Been to New York city too.
I been to Detroit & Chicago
Been to New York city too.
Said I done strolled all those funky avenues
I'm still the same old black boy with the same old blues.
Going back to Mississippi
This time to stay for good
Going back to Mississippi
This time to stay for good-
Gonna be free in Mississippi
Or dead in the Mississippi mud.
Read poems about / on: city, sun, time, poem
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Beautiful poem about expressing his feelings for his hometown. It is true there is no place like home!
I like the way the author emphasizes his thoughts by repeating the stanzas.
loved this piece...seems songlike but that made me sing through the words....there is a wonderful balance of joy honesty and pain.. great how it went full circle from the mud in mississippi.tyvm...karen
In spite of a very hard life, he somehow discovered that, truly, there is no place like home.
In spite of a very hard life, but somehow discovered that, truly, there is no place like home.
east west home is best
This poem is really powerful! Nice!
I like this one a lot - probably because Mississippi is a magic word for me, show me that stream called the river Jordan.........
Thanks
Egal...