Beatrice Ravenel

From “Tidewater”

MAMMY rocks the baby

In the wallflower-colored gloom;

All the floor rocks with her,

And the slumber of the room.

Like the broad, unceasing trade-wind,

Like the rivers underground,

Rolls the universal rhythm

And the rich, primeval sound:

All de lill’ angels,

All de baby’s angels,

Swingin’ on de tree;

Forty-one lill’ angel’,

Fifty-two lill’ angel’,

Sixty-fo’ lill’ angel’,

Sebbenty-t’ree….

On the glory of the sundown,

Of the wallflower-colored skies,

I can see her vast Assumption

In a cloud of cherubs’ eyes.

With their gold-persimmon haloes

Where the ripest sunlight falls,

And the cherub-tree’s espaliered

On the winking crystal walls.

Little yaller angels,

Piccaninny angels,

Chuckle on the tree.

Forty-one lill’ angel’,

Fifty-two lill’ angel’,

Sixty-fo’ lill’ angel’,

Se … ebbenty-t’ree….