Simon Legree Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: AB CCDDEFED GHGHIIJJKKKD LLD MMNNOOD PPQQRRSSD IIDTTUUD VVVWWW XXXDOOYYWWWDDD

A Negro SermonA
To be read in your own variety of negro dialectB
-
-
Legree's big house was white and greenC
His cotton fields were the best to be seenC
He had strong horses and opulent cattleD
And bloodhounds bold with chains that would rattleD
His garret was full of curious thingsE
Books of magic bags of goldF
And rabbits' feet on long twine stringsE
BUT HE WENT DOWN TO THE DEVILD
-
Legree he sported a brass buttoned coatG
A snake skin necktie a blood red shirtH
Legree he had a beard like a goatG
And a thick hairy neck and eyes like dirtH
His puffed out cheeks were fish belly whiteI
He had great long teeth and an appetiteI
He ate raw meat 'most every mealJ
And rolled his eyes till the cat would squealJ
His fist was an enormous sizeK
To mash poor niggers that told him liesK
He was surely a witch man in disguiseK
BUT HE WENT DOWN TO THE DEVILD
-
He wore hip boots and would wade all dayL
To capture his slaves that had fled awayL
BUT HE WENT DOWN TO THE DEVILD
-
He beat poor Uncle Tom to deathM
Who prayed for Legree with his last breathM
Then Uncle Tom to Eva flewN
To the high sanctoriums bright and newN
And Simon Legree stared up beneathO
And cracked his heels and ground his teethO
AND WENT DOWN TO THE DEVILD
-
He crossed the yard in the storm and gloomP
He went into his grand front roomP
He said I killed him and I don't careQ
He kicked a hound he gave a swearQ
He tightened his belt he took a lampR
Went down cellar to the webs and dampR
There in the middle of the mouldy floorS
He heaved up a slab he found a doorS
AND WENT DOWN TO THE DEVILD
-
His lamp blew out but his eyes burned brightI
Simon Legree stepped down all nightI
DOWN DOWN TO THE DEVILD
Simon Legree he reached the placeT
He saw one half of the human raceT
He saw the Devil on a wide green throneU
Gnawing the meat from a big ham boneU
And he said to Mister DevilD
-
I see that you have much to eatV
A red ham bone is surely sweetV
I see that you have lion's feetV
I see your frame is fat and fineW
I see you drink your poison wineW
Blood and burning turpentineW
-
And the Devil said to Simon LegreeX
I like your style so wicked and freeX
Come sit and share my throne with meX
And let us bark and revelD
And there they sit and gnash their teethO
And each one wears a hop vine wreathO
They are matching pennies and shooting crapsY
They are playing poker and taking napsY
And old Legree is fat and fineW
He eats the fire he drinks the wineW
Blood and burning turpentineW
DOWN DOWN WITH THE DEVILD
DOWN DOWN WITH THE DEVILD
DOWN DOWN WITH THE DEVILD

Vachel Lindsay



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