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Poem
April 9, 1862
The Jasper Weekly Courier
Jasper, Dubois County, Indiana
What is this article about?
A satirical song about a Wide-Awake (Lincoln supporter) singing of 'Rye Coffee' as a sweet substitute without sugar if slaves are freed, critiquing tax evasion on imported Java coffee while advocating for government revenue and abolition.
Clipping
OCR Quality
88%
Good
Full Text
With cape and lamp oil by his side,
A singing of a song.
The song it was pretty one,
And charmed my listening ear;
I only mind the chorus now.
And I will sing it here.
CHORUS.
Oh Rye Coffee!
You're sweet enough for me,
Without a grain of sugar, if
The nigger can be free!
I saw the cape, that well I knew
I'd seen it oft before-
And oft I'd seen that Lard-Oil Lamp
Go zigzag past my door;
But now the cape was old and torn-
The lamp it had no "oil."
Yet sweetly there that Wide-Awake
Kept singing all the while:
CHORUS.
Oh Rye Coffee!
You're sweet enough for me,
Without one grain of sugar, if
The nigger can be free.
I would not say that Wide-Awake
Was singing of a lie;
I think that Java does not suit
His taste as well as Rye-
The man who'd give Old Abe his vote,
And pass the Douglas by,
Would likely spurn the Java cup,
And swallow down the Rye!
CHORUS.
Oh Rye Coffee!
The Wide-Awake's delight-
I'll shall remember long how well
He sung of you that night!
I wonder if that Wide-Awake,
As he sat singing there,
Intended to repudiate
His taxes just and fair!
I wonder if that Wide-Awake
Was posted well as I
That he was cheating Government
When drinking of the Rye!
CHORUS.
Oh Rye Coffee!
For Wide-Awakes you'll do-
But not for patriots who'd give
The Government its due.
Confounded be Rye Coffee,
Corn Coffee and all that!
That I will still drink Java, you
May safely bet your hat!
Confounded be the men who made
The tax a needful thing!
But I've a better chorus here,
Which please stand up and sing-
CHORUS.
Go way Coffee!
The Master's servant be!
But let us all pray for the time
When Coffee shall be free!
A singing of a song.
The song it was pretty one,
And charmed my listening ear;
I only mind the chorus now.
And I will sing it here.
CHORUS.
Oh Rye Coffee!
You're sweet enough for me,
Without a grain of sugar, if
The nigger can be free!
I saw the cape, that well I knew
I'd seen it oft before-
And oft I'd seen that Lard-Oil Lamp
Go zigzag past my door;
But now the cape was old and torn-
The lamp it had no "oil."
Yet sweetly there that Wide-Awake
Kept singing all the while:
CHORUS.
Oh Rye Coffee!
You're sweet enough for me,
Without one grain of sugar, if
The nigger can be free.
I would not say that Wide-Awake
Was singing of a lie;
I think that Java does not suit
His taste as well as Rye-
The man who'd give Old Abe his vote,
And pass the Douglas by,
Would likely spurn the Java cup,
And swallow down the Rye!
CHORUS.
Oh Rye Coffee!
The Wide-Awake's delight-
I'll shall remember long how well
He sung of you that night!
I wonder if that Wide-Awake,
As he sat singing there,
Intended to repudiate
His taxes just and fair!
I wonder if that Wide-Awake
Was posted well as I
That he was cheating Government
When drinking of the Rye!
CHORUS.
Oh Rye Coffee!
For Wide-Awakes you'll do-
But not for patriots who'd give
The Government its due.
Confounded be Rye Coffee,
Corn Coffee and all that!
That I will still drink Java, you
May safely bet your hat!
Confounded be the men who made
The tax a needful thing!
But I've a better chorus here,
Which please stand up and sing-
CHORUS.
Go way Coffee!
The Master's servant be!
But let us all pray for the time
When Coffee shall be free!
What sub-type of article is it?
Satire
Song
What themes does it cover?
Slavery Abolition
Political
Taxation Tyranny
What keywords are associated?
Rye Coffee
Wide Awake
Slavery Freedom
Tax Evasion
Java Coffee
Lincoln Vote
Abolition Song
Poem Details
Form / Style
Rhymed Verses With Repeating Chorus
Key Lines
Oh Rye Coffee!
You're Sweet Enough For Me,
Without A Grain Of Sugar, If
The Nigger Can Be Free!
The Man Who'd Give Old Abe His Vote,
And Pass The Douglas By,
Would Likely Spurn The Java Cup,
And Swallow Down The Rye!
Confounded Be Rye Coffee,
Corn Coffee And All That!
That I Will Still Drink Java, You
May Safely Bet Your Hat!
Go Way Coffee!
The Master's Servant Be!
But Let Us All Pray For The Time
When Coffee Shall Be Free!