| Harriet Monroe, ed. (1860–1936). Poetry: A Magazine of Verse. 1912–22. | | | | Lill’ Angels | | By Beatrice Ravenel |
| | From “Tidewater”
MAMMY rocks the baby | |
| In the wallflower-colored gloom; | |
| All the floor rocks with her, | |
| And the slumber of the room. | |
| Like the broad, unceasing trade-wind, | 5 |
| Like the rivers underground, | |
| Rolls the universal rhythm | |
| And the rich, primeval sound: | |
| All de lill’ angels, | |
| All de baby’s angels, | 10 |
| Swingin’ on de tree; | |
| Forty-one lill’ angel’, | |
| Fifty-two lill’ angel’, | |
| Sixty-fo’ lill’ angel’, | |
| Sebbenty-t’ree…. | 15 |
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| On the glory of the sundown, | |
| Of the wallflower-colored skies, | |
| I can see her vast Assumption | |
| In a cloud of cherubs’ eyes. | |
| With their gold-persimmon haloes | 20 |
| Where the ripest sunlight falls, | |
| And the cherub-tree’s espaliered | |
| On the winking crystal walls. | |
| Little yaller angels, | |
| Piccaninny angels, | 25 |
| Chuckle on the tree. | |
| Forty-one lill’ angel’, | |
| Fifty-two lill’ angel’, | |
| Sixty-fo’ lill’ angel’, | |
| Se … ebbenty-t’ree…. | 30 | | | |
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