WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.910 align:middle line:90% 00:00:02.910 --> 00:00:05.580 align:middle line:84% I don't generally do this, but I'm going to do this tonight. 00:00:05.580 --> 00:00:08.610 align:middle line:84% I brought a poem along by a great poet who's 00:00:08.610 --> 00:00:11.620 align:middle line:90% not quite a known in America. 00:00:11.620 --> 00:00:13.320 align:middle line:90% His name is Sterling Brown. 00:00:13.320 --> 00:00:16.920 align:middle line:84% Sterling Brown is going to be 72 years old on the 1st of May. 00:00:16.920 --> 00:00:19.590 align:middle line:90% 00:00:19.590 --> 00:00:22.440 align:middle line:84% He wrote a book of poetry in 1932, published in 1932, 00:00:22.440 --> 00:00:26.570 align:middle line:84% called Southern Road, and he went back to the folk. 00:00:26.570 --> 00:00:28.320 align:middle line:84% And this poem, which I'm going to read to, 00:00:28.320 --> 00:00:30.150 align:middle line:90% is called "Slim in Hell." 00:00:30.150 --> 00:00:36.320 align:middle line:90% 00:00:36.320 --> 00:00:37.730 align:middle line:90% "Slim Greer went to heaven. 00:00:37.730 --> 00:00:40.910 align:middle line:84% St. Peter said, Slim, you've been a right good boy, 00:00:40.910 --> 00:00:42.710 align:middle line:90% and he winked at him. 00:00:42.710 --> 00:00:45.290 align:middle line:84% You've been a traveling rascal in your day, 00:00:45.290 --> 00:00:49.640 align:middle line:84% you can roam once more, then you comes to stay. 00:00:49.640 --> 00:00:52.760 align:middle line:84% Put these wings on your shoulders and save your feet. 00:00:52.760 --> 00:00:56.450 align:middle line:84% Slim grin and he speak up, Thank you, Pete. 00:00:56.450 --> 00:00:59.150 align:middle line:84% Then Peter say, Go to hell and see all that is doing 00:00:59.150 --> 00:01:01.550 align:middle line:90% and report to me. 00:01:01.550 --> 00:01:03.890 align:middle line:84% Be sure to remember how everything go. 00:01:03.890 --> 00:01:08.990 align:middle line:84% Slim say, I'll be watching you on the late watch, bo. 00:01:08.990 --> 00:01:10.580 align:middle line:84% Slim got to cavort and swell as you 00:01:10.580 --> 00:01:14.270 align:middle line:84% choose, like Lindy in the spirit of the St. Louis Blues. 00:01:14.270 --> 00:01:15.890 align:middle line:84% He flew and he flew till the last 00:01:15.890 --> 00:01:20.330 align:middle line:84% he hit a hanger with a sign reading, this is it. 00:01:20.330 --> 00:01:21.950 align:middle line:84% Then he parked his wings and strolled 00:01:21.950 --> 00:01:26.840 align:middle line:84% around getting used to his feet onto solid ground. 00:01:26.840 --> 00:01:30.560 align:middle line:84% Big bloodhound came a roaring like Niagara Falls sickened 00:01:30.560 --> 00:01:33.140 align:middle line:90% on by white devils in overalls. 00:01:33.140 --> 00:01:36.200 align:middle line:84% Now, Slim weren't scared, cross my heart, it's a fact. 00:01:36.200 --> 00:01:40.400 align:middle line:84% And the dog went on to ban some poor devil's track. 00:01:40.400 --> 00:01:42.920 align:middle line:84% Then Slim saw a mansion and walked right in, 00:01:42.920 --> 00:01:44.870 align:middle line:84% the devil looked up with a sickly grin. 00:01:44.870 --> 00:01:47.840 align:middle line:84% I certainly didn't look for you, Mr Greer. 00:01:47.840 --> 00:01:50.600 align:middle line:84% How it happened you comes to visit here? 00:01:50.600 --> 00:01:53.600 align:middle line:84% Slim say, Oh, just thought I'd drop by a spell. 00:01:53.600 --> 00:01:57.380 align:middle line:84% Feel at home sir and here's the keys to hell. 00:01:57.380 --> 00:01:59.390 align:middle line:84% Then he took Slim around and showed him people 00:01:59.390 --> 00:02:02.960 align:middle line:84% raising hell as high as the first church steeple. 00:02:02.960 --> 00:02:05.840 align:middle line:84% Lots of folks fighting at the roulette wheel, 00:02:05.840 --> 00:02:09.658 align:middle line:84% like old rampart street, or at leastwise Beale. 00:02:09.658 --> 00:02:12.290 align:middle line:84% He showed him bawdy houses and cabarets, 00:02:12.290 --> 00:02:15.200 align:middle line:84% Slim thought of New Orleans and Memphis days. 00:02:15.200 --> 00:02:18.650 align:middle line:84% Each devil was busy with a devilish broad, and Slim 00:02:18.650 --> 00:02:21.620 align:middle line:90% cried, Lordy, Lord, Lord, Lord. 00:02:21.620 --> 00:02:24.170 align:middle line:84% He took him in a room where Slim see to preacher 00:02:24.170 --> 00:02:26.290 align:middle line:90% with a brown skin on each knee. 00:02:26.290 --> 00:02:28.760 align:middle line:84% He showed them giant stills going everywhere 00:02:28.760 --> 00:02:32.180 align:middle line:84% with a parcel of devil stretched dead drunk there. 00:02:32.180 --> 00:02:35.180 align:middle line:84% Then he took him to the furnace that some devils was firing hot 00:02:35.180 --> 00:02:38.600 align:middle line:84% as hell and Slim start a mean perspiring. 00:02:38.600 --> 00:02:41.720 align:middle line:84% White devils with pitchforks threw black devils on, 00:02:41.720 --> 00:02:44.240 align:middle line:84% Slim thought he'd better be getting along. 00:02:44.240 --> 00:02:45.710 align:middle line:84% And he'd say, this makes me think 00:02:45.710 --> 00:02:50.060 align:middle line:84% of home, Vicksburg, Little Rock, Jackson, Waco and Rome. 00:02:50.060 --> 00:02:53.120 align:middle line:84% Then the devil gave Slim two big Ha Ha! 00:02:53.120 --> 00:02:57.050 align:middle line:84% and turned into a cracker with a Sheriff star. 00:02:57.050 --> 00:02:59.750 align:middle line:84% Slim ran for his wings, lift off the ground, 00:02:59.750 --> 00:03:02.690 align:middle line:84% hauled it back to St Peter's safety bound. 00:03:02.690 --> 00:03:05.180 align:middle line:84% St Peter said, Well, you got back quick. 00:03:05.180 --> 00:03:07.730 align:middle line:84% How's the devil and what's his latest trick? 00:03:07.730 --> 00:03:10.520 align:middle line:84% And Slim said, Peter, I really can't tell, 00:03:10.520 --> 00:03:13.160 align:middle line:84% the place was Dixie that I took for hell. 00:03:13.160 --> 00:03:16.010 align:middle line:84% Then Peter say, You must be crazy, I vow. 00:03:16.010 --> 00:03:18.560 align:middle line:84% Where the hell do you think hell was anyhow? 00:03:18.560 --> 00:03:21.560 align:middle line:84% You're going back to the Earth 'cause I got the fear, 00:03:21.560 --> 00:03:25.360 align:middle line:84% he was a little too dumb for to stay up here." 00:03:25.360 --> 00:03:29.000 align:middle line:90%