4 April: "Jim Limber the Adopted Mulatto Son of Jefferson Davis Was Another Child First" by Shane McCrae



They put me in a dead boy’s clothes dead Joseph

Except he wasn’t dead at first they put

Me in his clothes dead Joseph’s     after Joseph

Died and I used to call him Joe     they put

Me in   Joe’s clothes at first before he died

Joe wasn’t five yet when I met him      I

Was seven     I was seven when he died

Still but a whole year bigger then but I

Wore his clothes still and the whole year I lived with

Momma Varina      and with daddy Jeff

I never lived so good as when I lived with

Them and especially it was daddy Jeff

Who kept me fed and wearing those nice clothes

Until they fit as tight as bandages

1 comment:

  1. Why didn't the author capitalize the D in daddy?

    I like the perspective. It's still a boy's POV and he doesn't mention anything about race or color. It was just about the clothes and Joe and being treated well.

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