Classic Poem

S HADRACH , Meshach, Abednego,
Walked in de furnace to an' fro,
Hay foot, straw foot, fro an' to,
An' de flame an' de smoke flared up de flue.
Nebuchadnezzar he listen some,
An' he hear 'mdash talk, an' he say " How come? "
An' he hear 'mdash walk, an' he say " How so?
Dem babes wuz hawg tied an hour ago! "
Then Shadrach call, in an uppity way:
" A little more heat or we ain' gwine stay! "
An' Meshach bawl, so dat furnace shake:
" Landlawd, heat! fo' de good Lawd's sake! "
Abednego yell, wid a loud " Kerchoo!
Is you out to freeze us, y' great big Jew! "

Nebuchadnezzar, he rare an' ramp,
An' call to de janitor, " You big black scamp!
Shake dem clinkers an' spend dat coal!
I'll bake dem birds, ef I goes in de hole! "
He puts on de draf an' shuts de door
So de furnace glow an' de chimbly roar.
Ol' Nebuchadnezzar, he smole a smile,
" Guess dat'll hold 'mdash, " says he, " one while. "

Den Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego
Walk on de hot coals to an' fro,
Gulp dem cinders like chicken meat
An' holler out for a mite more heat.
Ol' Nebuchadnezzar gives up de fight;
He opens dat door an' bows perlite.
He shades his eyes from de glare infernal
An' says to Abednego, " Step out, Colonel. "
An' he add, " Massa Shadrach, I hopes you all
Won' be huffy at me at all. "

Den Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego,
Hay foot, straw foot, three in a row,
Stepped right smart from de oven door
Jes' as good as dey wuz before,
An', far as Nebuchadnezzar could find,
Jes' as good as dey wuz behind.