THE NEGRO SPEAKS OF RIVERS

CONTINUE
MELody

I'VE KNOWN RIVERS:

I'VE KNOWN RIVERS ANCIENT 'S THE WORLD AND OLDER
THAN THE FLOW OF HUMAN BLOOD IN HUMAN VEINS.
MY SOUL HAS GROWN DEEP LIKE THE RIVERS.

I BATHED IN THE TUPHATES WHEN DAWNS WERE YOUNG.

I BUILT MY HUT NEAR THE CONGO AND IT WULLED ME
TO SLEEP.

I LOOKED UPON THE NILE AND RAISED THE PYRAMIDS
ABOVE IT.

I HEARD THE SINGING OF THE MISSISSIPPI WHEN ABE
LINCOLN WENT DOWN TO NEW ORLEANS, AND I'VE
SEEN ITS MUDDY BOSOM TURN ALL GOLDEN IN THE
SUNSET.

I'VE KNOWN RIVERS:

ANCIENT, DUSKY RIVERS.

MELODY UP
STRONG TO
ENDING

FADE

[REVISIONS OF POEMS FOR POETRY-TO-JAZZ PROGRAM - 1/59]
8

# THE NEGRO SPEAKS OF RIVERS

## I'VE KNOWN RIVERS:

I'VE KNOWN RIVERS ANCIENT AS THE WORLD AND OLDER THAN THE FLOW OF HUMAN BLOOD IN HUMAN VEINS.

I BATHED IN THE EUPHRATES WHEN DAWNS WERE YOUNG.

I BUILT MY HUT NEAR THE CONGO AND IT LULLED ME TO SLEEP.

## I'VE KNOWN RIVERS:

ANCIENT, DUSKY RIVERS.

# THE NEGRO SPEAKS OF RIVERS

I've known rivers:

I've known rivers ancient as the world and older
than the flow of human blood in human veins.

My soul has grown deep like the rivers.

I bathed in the Euphrates when dawns were young.

I built my hut near the Congo and it lulled me to
sleep.

I looked upon the Nile and raised the pyramids above
it.

I heard the singing of the Mississippi when Abe
Lincoln went down to New Orleans, and I've seen
its muddy bosom turn all golden in the sunset.

I've known rivers:

Ancient, dusky rivers.

From - THE WEARY BLUES
(Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.)

# THE NEGRO SPEAKS OF RIVERS

I've known rivers:

And older than the flow of human blood in human veins.

When Abe Lincoln went down to New Orleans,

And I've seen its muddy bosom turn all golden in the sunset.

I've known rivers:

Ancient, dusky rivers.