Poems (Merrill)/A Mystery Explained

by Clara A. Merrill

A MYSTERY EXPLAINED

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Hi Sambo—don' yo' talk dat way— Aint yo' a silly coon! A talkin' 'bout de mystery  Ob de man date in de moon! I tell yo' 'taint no mystery  'Bout de moon, or how it acts, I reckon ef yo'd like to know  I kin tell yo' all de facts.

'Tis dis:—Yo ' see when de world was new  De moon was roun' an' clear; An' kep' a shinin' ebery night  Jus' so, year arter year.—'Till dis man he done some drefful t'ing— He ran, but dey cotched him soon An' widout no odds dey banished him  An' sent him to de moon.

Dey see'd him lookin' down to earth  Whar dey wouldn't let him stay; Den solemn like, an' bery slow  He turn he face away.— An' arter dat de moon was new— Den half a moon dar'll be; Den de moon am roun', an' de man looks down  On de Ian' an' on de sea.

An' he gazes ober all de earth  'Til he wants to see no more—Den he slowly turn he face away  Jus' as he did before. Dese am de facts ob what yo' call  De "Mystery profound"—When de moon keeps changing as yo' see  'Tis de man a turnin' round!