Elegy Written for Emmett Till
Don't let nobody turn me round
On the wind a joyful sound
Two young men from Chicago
Summer in sunny Money Mississippi
Delta blue green melancholy
Time to bring in the cotton
Bryant's store and a pretty white girl
Only but a catcall in youthful indiscretion,
Roy Bryant and J.W. Milam wouldn't let it go
Like the Jim Crow said so; just another nigger
To the Tallahatchie River
Mose Wright knew that night
Poor Emmett wasn't going home
Roy Bryant and JW Milam should have met the gallows
For what they had done To Miss Mamie's son
An act most inhuman to their fellow man; a child
They were charged and arrested but only for awhile
Mississippi justice complete with mock trial
With a jury of peers; friends and well- wishers
Left to live and age free and un- reproved
Don't let nobody turn me round
On the wind a joyful sound
A spark in that dark southern repression
A call to the light; civil and right
The legacy of poor Emmett Till
Now forever left to rest in the Burr Oak
On the wind a joyful sound
Two young men from Chicago
Summer in sunny Money Mississippi
Delta blue green melancholy
Time to bring in the cotton
Bryant's store and a pretty white girl
Only but a catcall in youthful indiscretion,
Roy Bryant and J.W. Milam wouldn't let it go
Like the Jim Crow said so; just another nigger
To the Tallahatchie River
Mose Wright knew that night
Poor Emmett wasn't going home
Roy Bryant and JW Milam should have met the gallows
For what they had done To Miss Mamie's son
An act most inhuman to their fellow man; a child
They were charged and arrested but only for awhile
Mississippi justice complete with mock trial
With a jury of peers; friends and well- wishers
Left to live and age free and un- reproved
Don't let nobody turn me round
On the wind a joyful sound
A spark in that dark southern repression
A call to the light; civil and right
The legacy of poor Emmett Till
Now forever left to rest in the Burr Oak
Published by Walton S. Tissot
~ Walton S. Tissot is a pseudonym of William S. Tribell - *{PLEASE FEEL FREE: Anyone who enjoys the work, to Tweet, Dig, Blog, Tell a friend or anyway otherwise share and or promote it.}* - Born in America,... View profile
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17 Comments
Post a CommentExcellent W. S. I loved this. Are you a history teacher by any chance? Johnny Yuma
Great poem really heartfelt...
Powerful, and beautiful, words Walton.
Sad and very strong :)
Lots of history in those words.
Excellent poem.
A great way to take in a history lesson!
very powerful poem
Emmett Till was a tragic person; I'm glad you wrote this fine elegy to him.
Nice poem, I really liked this piece.