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May 21st, 2013 - we have 234 poets, 8,025 poems and 56,671 comments.
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow - THE SLAVE IN THE DISMAL SWAMP

In dark fens of the Dismal Swamp
The hunted Negro lay;
He saw the fire of the midnight camp,
And heard at times a horse's tramp
And a bloodhound's distant bay.

Where will-o'-the-wisps and glow-worms shine,
In bulrush and in brake;
Where waving mosses shroud the pine,
And the cedar grows, and the poisonous vine
Is spotted like the snake;

Where hardly a human foot could pass,
Or a human heart would dare,
On the quaking turf of the green morass
He crouched in the rank and tangled grass,
Like a wild beast in his lair.

A poor old slave, infirm and lame;
Great scars deformed his face;
On his forehead he bore the brand of shame,
And the rags, that hid his mangled frame,
Were the livery of disgrace.

All things above were bright and fair,
All things were glad and free;
Lithe squirrels darted here and there,
And wild birds filled the echoing air
With songs of Liberty!

On him alone was the doom of pain,
From the morning of his birth;
On him alone the curse of Cain
Fell, like a flail on the garnered grain,
And struck him to the earth!

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Added: Feb 1 2004 | Viewed: 7041 times | Comments and analysis of THE SLAVE IN THE DISMAL SWAMP by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Comments (22)

THE SLAVE IN THE DISMAL SWAMP - Comments and Information

Poet: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Poem: 4. THE SLAVE IN THE DISMAL SWAMP
Volume: Poems on Slavery

Comment 22 of 22, added on May 14th, 2013 at 8:26 AM.
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X2p1ZS Appreciate you sharing, great blog article. Will read on...

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Comment 21 of 22, added on May 13th, 2013 at 8:57 PM.
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1M5caj Im obliged for the article.Thanks Again. Keep writing.

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Comment 20 of 22, added on March 1st, 2013 at 12:33 AM.
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sJdiCh I cannot thank you enough for the blog post.Much thanks again. Really Cool.

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