Oh, singing tree! Oh, shining rivers of the soul! Were Eve’s eyes In the first garden Just a bit too bold? Was Cleopatra gorgeous In a gown of gold? Oh, shining tree! Oh, silver rivers of the soul! In a whirling cabaret Six long-headed jazzers play. NEGRO DANCERS “Me an’ ma baby’s Got two mo’ ways, Two mo’ ways to do de buck! Da, da, Da, da, da! Two mo’ ways to do de buck!” Soft light on the tables, Music gay, Brown-skin steppers In a cabaret. White folks, laugh! White folks, pray! “Me an’ ma baby’s Got two mo’ ways, Two mo’ ways to do de buck!” THE CAT AND THE SAXOPHONE (2 A.M.) EVERYBODY Half-pint,— Gin? No, make it LOVES MY BABY corn. You like liquor, don’t you, honey? BUT MY BABY Sure. Kiss me, DON’T LOVE NOBODY daddy. BUT ME. Say! EVERYBODY Yes? WANTS MY BABY I’m your BUT MY BABY sweetie, ain’t I? DON’T WANT NOBODY Sure. BUT Then let’s ME, do it! SWEET ME. Charleston, mamma! ! YOUNG SINGER One who sings “chansons vulgaires” In a Harlem cellar Where the jazz-band plays From dark to dawn Would not understand Should you tell her That she is like a nymph For some wild faun. CABARET Does a jazz-band ever sob? They say a jazz-band’s gay. Yet as the vulgar dancers whirled And the wan night wore away, One said she heard the jazz-band sob When the little dawn was grey. TO MIDNIGHT NAN AT LEROY’S Strut and wiggle, Shameless gal. Wouldn’t no good fellow Be your pal. _Hear dat music.... Jungle night. Hear dat music.... And the moon was white._ Sing your Blues song, Pretty baby. You want lovin’ And you don’t mean maybe. _Jungle lover.... Night black boy.... Two against the moon And the moon was joy._ Strut and wiggle, Shameless Nan. Wouldn’t no good fellow Be your man. TO A LITTLE LOVER-LASS, DEAD She Who searched for lovers In the night Has gone the quiet way Into the still, Dark land of death Beyond the rim of day. Now like a little lonely waif She walks An endless street And gives her kiss to nothingness. Would God his lips were sweet! HARLEM NIGHT CLUB Sleek black boys in a cabaret. Jazz-band, jazz-band,— Play, plAY, PLAY! Tomorrow....who knows? Dance today! White girls’ eyes Call gay black boys. Black boys’ lips Grin jungle joys. Dark brown girls In blond men’s arms. Jazz-band, jazz-band,— Sing Eve’s charms!