IN THE QUARTER OF THE NEGROES
WHERE TO SNOW NOW ACCLIMATED
SHADOWS SHOW UP SHARPER,
THE ONE COIN IN THE METER
KEEPS THE GAS ON WHILE THE TV
FAILS TO GET PEARL BAILEY
SINCE IT'S SNOWING ON THE TV
THIS LAST QUARTER OF CENTENNIAL
100-YEARS EMANCIPATION
MECHANICS NEED REPAIRING
FOR NIAGARA FALLS IS FROZEN
AS IS CUSTOM BELOW ZERO.
MAMA’S FRUITCAKE SENT FROM GEORGIA
CRUMBLES AS IT'S NIBBLED
TO A DISC BY DINAH
IN THE RUM THAT WAFTS MARACAS
FROM ANOTHER DISTANT QUARTER
TO THIS QUARTER OF THE NEGROES
WHERE THE SONG'S MAHALIA’S DAUGHTER
STEP-FATHERED BY BLIND LEMON

STEP-FATHERED BY
BLIND LEMON....

WHEN NIAGARA FALLS IS FROZEN
THERE'S A BAR WITH WINDOWS FROSTED
FROM THE COLD THAT MAKES NIAGARA
GHOSTLY MONUMENT OF WINTER
TO A BAND THAT ONCE PASSED OVER
WITH A WOMAN WITH TWO PISTOLS
ON A TRAIN THAT LOST NO PASSENGERS
ON THE LINE WHOSE ROUTE WAS FREEDOM
THROUGH THE JUNGLE OF WHITE DANGER
TO THE HAVEN OF WHITE QUAKERS
WHOSE HAYMOW WAS A MANGER MANGER
WHERE THE CHRIST CHILD ONCE HAD LAIN.
SO THE WHITENESS AND THE WATER
MELT TO WATER ONCE AGAIN
AND THE ROAR OF NIAGARA
DROWNS THE RUMBLE OF THAT TRAIN
DISTANT ALMOST NOW AS DISTANT
AS FORGOTTEN PAIN IN THE QUARTER
QUARTER OF THE NEGROES
WITH A BAR WITH FROSTED WINDOWS
NO CONDUCTOR AND NO TRAIN.
Bongo