Slim Greer in Hell

　　by Sterling A. Brown

　　 I

　　 Slim Greer went to heaven；

　　 St. Peter said， "Slim，

　　 You been a right good boy."

　　 An' he winked at him.

　　 "You been travelin' rascal

　　 In yo'day.

　　 You kin roam once mo'；

　　 Den you come to stay.

　　 "Put dese wings on yo' shoulders，

　　 An' save yo' feet."

　　 Slim grin， and he speak up，

　　 "Thankye， Pete."

　　 Den Peter say， "Go

　　 To Hell an' see，

　　 All dat is doing， and

　　 Report to me.

　　 "Be sure to remember

　　 How everything go."

　　 Slim say， "I be seein' yuh

　　 On de late watch， bo."

　　 Slim got to cavortin'

　　 Swell as you choose，

　　 Like Lindy in de Spirit

　　 Of St. Louis Blues.

　　 He flew an' he flew，

　　 Till at last he hit

　　 A hangar wid de sign readin'

　　 DIS IS IT.

　　 Den he parked his wings，

　　 An' strolled aroun'，

　　 Gittin' used to his feet

　　 On de solid ground.

　　 II

　　 Big bloodhound came aroarin'

　　 Like Niagry Falls，

　　 Sicked on by white devils

　　 In overhalls.

　　 Now Slim warn't scared

　　 Cross my heart， it's a fac'，

　　 An de dog went on a bayin'

　　 Some po' devil's track.

　　 Den Slim saw a mansion

　　 An' walked right in；

　　 De Devil looked up

　　 Wid a sickly grin.

　　 "Suttingly didn't look

　　 Fo' you， Mr. Greer，

　　 How it happens you comes

　　 To visit here？"

　　 Slim say--"Oh， jes' thought

　　 I'd drop by a spell."

　　 "Feel at home， seh， an' here's

　　 De keys to hell."

　　 Den he took Slim around

　　 An' showed him people

　　 Rasin' hell as high as

　　 De first Church Steeple.

　　 Lots of folks fightin'

　　 At de roulette wheel，

　　 Like old Rampart Street，

　　 Or leastwise Beale.

　　 Showed him bawdy houses

　　 An' cabarets，

　　 Slim thought of New Orleans

　　 An' Memphis days.

　　 Each devil was busy

　　 Wid a devlish broad，

　　 An' Slim cried， "Lawdy，

　　 Lawd， Lawd， Lawd."

　　 Took him in a room

　　 Where Slim see

　　 De preacher wid a brownskin

　　 On each knee.

　　 Showed him giant stills，

　　 Going everywhere，

　　 Wid a passel of devils

　　 Stretched dead drunk there.

　　 Den he took him to de furnace

　　 Dat some devils was firing，

　　 Hot as Hell， an' Slim start

　　 A mean presspirin'.

　　 White devils with pitchforks

　　 Threw black devils on，

　　 Slim thought he'd better

　　 Be gittin' along.

　　 An' he says--"Dis makes

　　 Me think of home--

　　 Vicksburg， Little Rock， Jackson，

　　 Waco and Rome."

　　 Den de devil gave Slim

　　 De big Ha-Ha；

　　 An' turned into a cracker，

　　 Wid a sheriff's star.

　　 Slim ran fo' his wings，

　　 Lit out from de groun'

　　 Hauled it back to St. Peter，

　　 Safety boun'.

　　 III

　　 St. Peter said， "Well，

　　 You got back quick.

　　 How's de devil？ An' what's

　　 His latest trick？"

　　 An' Slim Say， "Peter，

　　 I really cain't tell，

　　 The place was Dixie

　　 That I took for hell."

　　 Then Peter say， "you must

　　 Be crazy， I vow，

　　 Where'n hell dja think Hell was，

　　 Anyhow？

　　 "Git on back to de yearth，

　　 Cause I got de fear，

　　 You'se a leetle too dumb，

　　 Fo' to stay up here. . ."

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