Classic Poem

When John Henry was nothin' but a baby
Sittin' on his mammy's knee,
He said, " De Big Bend tunnel on de C. & O. road
Is gonna cause de death of me. "

De cap'n said to John Henry,
" Gonna bring me a steam drill aroun';
Gonna take dat steam drill out to de tunnel
An' gonna mow de mountain down. "

John Henry tol' his cap'n
A man ain't nothin' but a man;
But befo' he'd let dat steam drill beat him
He'd die wid a hammer in his han".

John Henry said to his cap'n,
Lightnin' was in his eye:
" Wid my twelve-poun' hammer an' a four-foot handle
I'll beat dat steam drill or die. "

John Henry went to de tunnel;
Dey put him in de lead to drive.
De rock so tall an' John Henry so small,
He put down his hammer an' he cried.

John Henry started on de right side,
Steam drill started on de lef';
" Befo' I'll let dat steam drill beat me down
I'll hammer my fool self to death. "

Steam drill started workin',
Was workin' mighty fine;
John Henry drove his fifteen feet,
An' de steam drill only made nine.

Cap'n said to John Henry,
" I b'lieve de mountain's sinkin' in. "
John Henry said to his cap'n,
" It's just my hammer suckin' win'. "

De hammer dat John Henry swung
Weighed over thirteen poun'.
He broke a rib in his lef' han' side
An' his intrails fell on de groun'.

John Henry had a l'l woman,
Her name was Polly Ann;
On de day dat John Henry drop down dead,
Polly Ann hammered steel like a man.

Dey took his body to Washin'ton;
Dey carried it over the lan'.
People f'om de Eas' and people f'om de Wes'
Dey mourned for dat steel-drivin' man.