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Poem
April 5, 1897
The Saint Paul Globe
Saint Paul, Ramsey County, Minnesota
What is this article about?
A dialect poem addressed to Uncle Sam, urging the United States to intervene and support Cuba's fight for independence from Spanish tyranny, drawing parallels to American Revolution aid from France and Lafayette.
Clipping
OCR Quality
95%
Excellent
Full Text
TO UNCLE SAM
(Written for the Globe.)
I think it's mighty selfish
In ye, Uncle Sam-I do-
T' ignor'th' claims o' Cuba
As 't 'pears ye mean ter do;
An' I think w'en ye was fightin
Fer yer freedom, long ago
Ye'd ha' thunk it very slighting'
Ef ye'd been treated so.
An' thet's jes' why I think it's mean-
Now 'et yer gre't an' grand-
To never 'tempt t' intervene:
Ner lend a helpin' hand;
T' neighbors in the self-same fix
Who're fightin' jes' th' same
Ez ye fit-'long in '76.
To break th' tyrant's chain
W'en ragged, hungry, col' an' wet-
Yer troops complain'd-'twas then
Thet gen'rous France sent Lafayette,
With money, stores n' men;
An' hed th' Frenchman-loyal, brave
Refused t' lend a helpin' hand,
Ye might hev stay'd a tyrant's slave
An' this a darken'd land.
'Nd thet's a reason, 'pears ter me,
W'y, now 't yer gre't an' grand,
Ye'd ought'er hev th' decency
T' lend a helpin' hand
Ter Gomez's brave followers,
Who're fightin' manfully
Against a tyrant's myrmidons
The'r lov'd isle fer t' free.
The' ast ye not fer men er arms;
No golden aid the' seek-
Sweet liberty fer them hez charms-
The' simply want ye, Unc'l Sam, t' speak.
Speak! an' yer magic voice'll sound
Acrost th' land; beyc'th' wave;
Speak! an' frum th' Spanish hound
Our little sister, Cuba, save.
(Written for the Globe.)
I think it's mighty selfish
In ye, Uncle Sam-I do-
T' ignor'th' claims o' Cuba
As 't 'pears ye mean ter do;
An' I think w'en ye was fightin
Fer yer freedom, long ago
Ye'd ha' thunk it very slighting'
Ef ye'd been treated so.
An' thet's jes' why I think it's mean-
Now 'et yer gre't an' grand-
To never 'tempt t' intervene:
Ner lend a helpin' hand;
T' neighbors in the self-same fix
Who're fightin' jes' th' same
Ez ye fit-'long in '76.
To break th' tyrant's chain
W'en ragged, hungry, col' an' wet-
Yer troops complain'd-'twas then
Thet gen'rous France sent Lafayette,
With money, stores n' men;
An' hed th' Frenchman-loyal, brave
Refused t' lend a helpin' hand,
Ye might hev stay'd a tyrant's slave
An' this a darken'd land.
'Nd thet's a reason, 'pears ter me,
W'y, now 't yer gre't an' grand,
Ye'd ought'er hev th' decency
T' lend a helpin' hand
Ter Gomez's brave followers,
Who're fightin' manfully
Against a tyrant's myrmidons
The'r lov'd isle fer t' free.
The' ast ye not fer men er arms;
No golden aid the' seek-
Sweet liberty fer them hez charms-
The' simply want ye, Unc'l Sam, t' speak.
Speak! an' yer magic voice'll sound
Acrost th' land; beyc'th' wave;
Speak! an' frum th' Spanish hound
Our little sister, Cuba, save.
What sub-type of article is it?
Satire
Verse Letter
What themes does it cover?
Political
Liberty Independence
War Military
What keywords are associated?
Uncle Sam
Cuba Independence
Spanish Tyranny
Lafayette Aid
American Revolution Parallel
What entities or persons were involved?
Written For The Globe.
Poem Details
Title
To Uncle Sam
Author
Written For The Globe.
Subject
Urging Intervention In Cuba's Fight For Freedom
Form / Style
Rhymed Stanzas In Dialect
Key Lines
I Think It's Mighty Selfish
In Ye, Uncle Sam I Do
Speak! An' Yer Magic Voice'll Sound
Acrost Th' Land; Beyc'th' Wave;
Speak! An' Frum Th' Spanish Hound
Our Little Sister, Cuba, Save.