Aunt Chloe Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABACADACEAFAGAFDA H I H G E E E E J G J K L H L G M N M I J D J O P O P Q E B E Q F D F D E B E R E D E S B R B D T G U B B V GG W X WG E G EB L X L B E X E E G B G G E B E Y Z G Z B B B B G E Y E B B I B G A2 G A2 E E B E B2 G G G V C2 I C2 V E B E Q I R I Q B R B E E G E E D E D R D2 S D2 B E2 G E2 G E G E R F2 G2 F2 G C2 D C2 G H2 G H2 E I2 J2 I2 G G I G D V R V S D G D R E G E E E Q E E K2 G K2 Y E L2 E I F D F

A
I remember well rememberB
A
That dark and dreadful dayC
A
When they whispered to me ChloeD
A
Your children's sold awayC
It seemed as if a bulletE
A
Had shot me through and throughF
A
And I felt as if my heart stringsG
A
Was breaking right in twoF
And I says to cousin MillyD
A
-
There must be some mistakeH
-
-
Where's Mistus In the great house cryingI
-
-
Crying like her heart would breakH
-
And the lawyer's there with MistusG
-
-
Says he's come to 'ministrateE
-
-
'Cause when master died he just leftE
-
-
Heap of debt on the estateE
-
And I thought 'twould do you goodE
-
-
To bid your boys good byeJ
-
-
To kiss them both and shake their handsG
-
-
And have a hearty cryJ
-
Oh Chloe I knows how you feelK
-
-
'Cause I'se been through it allL
-
-
I thought my poor old heart would breakH
-
-
When master sold my SaulL
-
Just then I heard the footstepsG
-
-
Of my children at the doorM
-
-
And then I rose right up to meet themN
-
-
But I fell upon the floorM
-
And I heard poor Jakey sayingI
-
-
Oh mammy don't you cryJ
-
-
And I felt my children kiss meD
-
-
And bid me both good byeJ
-
Then I had a mighty sorrowO
-
-
Though I nursed it all aloneP
-
-
But I wasted to a shadowO
-
-
And turned to skin and boneP
-
But one day dear uncle JacobQ
-
-
In heaven he's now a saintE
-
-
Said Your poor heart is in the fireB
-
-
But child you must not faintE
-
Then I said to uncle JacobQ
-
-
If I was good like youF
-
-
When the heavy trouble dashed meD
-
-
I'd know just what to doF
-
Then he said to me Poor ChloeD
-
-
The way is open wideE
-
-
And he told me of the SaviourB
-
-
And the fountain in His sideE
-
Then he said Just take your burdenR
-
-
To the blessed Master's feetE
-
-
I takes all my troubles ChloeD
-
-
Right unto the mercy seatE
-
His words waked up my courageS
-
-
And I began to prayB
-
-
And I felt my heavy burdenR
-
-
Rolling like a stone awayB
-
And a something seemed to tell meD
-
-
You will see your boys againT
-
-
And that hope was like a poulticeG
-
-
Spread upon a dreadful painU
-
And it often seemed to whisperB
-
-
Chloe trust and never fearB
-
-
You'll get justice in the kingdomV
-
-
If you do not get it here The DeliveranceG
Master only left old MistusG
-
One bright and handsome boyW
-
But she fairly doted on himX
-
He was her pride and joyW
We all liked Mister ThomasG
-
He was so kind at heartE
-
And when the young folkes got in scrapesG
-
He always took their partE
He kept right on that very wayB
-
-
Till he got big and tallL
-
-
And old Mistus used to chide himX
-
-
And say he'd spile us allL
-
But somehow the farm did prosperB
-
-
When he took things in handE
-
-
And though all the servants liked himX
-
-
He made them understandE
-
One evening Mister Thomas saidE
-
-
Just bring my easy shoesG
-
-
I am going to sit by motherB
-
-
And read her up the newsG
-
Soon I heard him tell old MistusG
-
-
We're bound to have a fightE
-
-
But we'll whip the Yankees motherB
-
-
We'll whip them sure as nightE
-
Then I saw old Mistus trembleY
-
-
She gasped and held her breathZ
-
-
And she looked on Mister ThomasG
-
-
With a face as pale as deathZ
-
They are firing on Fort SumpterB
-
-
Oh I wish that I was thereB
-
-
Why dear mother what's the matterB
-
-
You're the picture of despairB
-
I was thinking dearest ThomasG
-
-
'Twould break my very heartE
-
-
If a fierce and dreadful battleY
-
-
Should tear our lives apartE
-
None but cowards dearest motherB
-
-
Would skulk unto the rearB
-
-
When the tyrant's hand is shakingI
-
-
All the heart is holding dearB
-
I felt sorry for old MistusG
-
-
She got too full to speakA2
-
-
But I saw the great big tear dropsG
-
-
A running down her cheekA2
-
Mister Thomas too was troubledE
-
-
With choosing on that nightE
-
-
Betwixt staying with his motherB
-
-
And joining in the fightE
-
Soon down into the village cameB2
-
-
A call for volunteersG
-
-
Mistus gave up Mister ThomasG
-
-
With many sighs and tearsG
-
His uniform was real handsomeV
-
-
He looked so brave and strongC2
-
-
But somehow I could'nt help thinkingI
-
-
His fighting must be wrongC2
-
Though the house was very lonesomeV
-
-
I thought 'twould all come rightE
-
-
For I felt somehow or otherB
-
-
We was mixed up in that fightE
-
And I said to Uncle JacobQ
-
-
How old Mistus feels the stingI
-
-
For this parting with your childrenR
-
-
Is a mighty dreadful thingI
-
Never mind said Uncle JacobQ
-
-
Just wait and watch and prayB
-
-
For I feel right sure and certainR
-
-
Slavery's bound to pass awayB
-
Because I asked the SpiritE
-
-
If God is good and justE
-
-
How it happened that the mastersG
-
-
Did grind us to the dustE
-
And something reasoned right insideE
-
-
Such should not always beD
-
-
And you could not beat it out my headE
-
-
The Spirit spoke to meD
-
And his dear old eyes would brightenR
-
-
And his lips put on a smileD2
-
-
Saying Pick up faith and courageS
-
-
And just wait a little whileD2
-
Mistus prayed up in the parlorB
-
-
That the Secesh all might winE2
-
-
We were praying in the cabinsG
-
-
Wanting freedom to beginE2
-
Mister Thomas wrote to MistusG
-
-
Telling 'bout the Bull's Run fightE
-
-
That his troops had whipped the YankeesG
-
-
And put them all to flightE
-
Mistus' eyes did fairly glistenR
-
-
She laughed and praised the SouthF2
-
-
But I thought some day she'd laughG2
-
-
On tother side her mouthF2
-
I used to watch old Mistus' faceG
-
-
And when it looked quite longC2
-
-
I would say to Cousin MillyD
-
-
The battle's going wrongC2
-
Not for us but for the RebelsG
-
-
My heart would fairly skipH2
-
-
When Uncle Jacob used to sayG
-
-
-
The North is bound to whipH2
-
-
And let the fight go as it wouldE
-
-
-
Let North or South prevailI2
-
-
-
He always kept his courage upJ2
-
-
-
And never let it failI2
-
-
And he often used to tell usG
-
-
-
Children don't forget to prayG
-
-
-
For the darkest time of morningI
-
-
-
Is just 'fore the break of dayG
-
-
Well one morning bright and earlyD
-
-
-
We heard the fife and drumV
-
-
-
And the booming of the cannonR
-
-
-
The Yankee troops had comeV
-
-
When the word ran through the villageS
-
-
-
The colored folks are freeD
-
-
-
In the kitchens and the cabinsG
-
-
-
We held a jubileeD
-
-
When they told us Mister LincolnR
-
-
-
Said that slavery was deadE
-
-
-
We just poured our prayers and blessingsG
-
-
-
Upon his precious headE
-
-
We just laughed and danced and shoutedE
-
-
-
And prayed and sang and criedE
-
-
-
And we thought dear Uncle JacobQ
-
-
-
Would fairly crack his sideE
-
-
But when old Mistus heard itE
-
-
-
She groaned and hardly spokeK2
-
-
-
When she had to lose her servantsG
-
-
-
Her heart was almost brokeK2
-
-
'Twas a sight to see our peopleY
-
-
-
Going out the troops to meetE
-
-
-
Almost dancing to the musicL2
-
-
-
And marching down the streetE
-
-
After years of pain and partingI
-
-
-
Our chains was broke in twoF
-
-
-
And we was so mighty happyD
-
-
-
We didn't know what toF

Frances Ellen Watkins Harper



Rate:
(1)



Poem topics: , Print This Poem , Rhyme Scheme

Submit Spanish Translation
Submit German Translation
Submit French Translation


Write your comment about Aunt Chloe poem by Frances Ellen Watkins Harper


 

Recent Interactions*

This poem was read 8 times,

This poem was added to the favorite list by 0 members,

This poem was voted by 0 members.

(* Interactions only in the last 7 days)

New Poems

Popular Poets