Monkey Joe

O’ a-way down in the swamp,

Where the clumps of Cypress grow,

Where the tall trees nod together,

And the Spider Lilies blow,

There they ran and played together,

Little Kit and Monkey Joe,

In the swamp by the Blue Tennessee.

Little Kit was like an angel,

With her shining curly hair,

Joe was more like Satan,

Just as dark as she was fair,

But it was where’re one flitted,

Other wasn’t far from there,

As they played by The Blue Tennessee.

                      Find a better place Than that one

 Honey, Can’t you where to play,

Joe mustn’t let Miss Kit get hurt,

Her Mother used to say,

But there was no use in talking,

Couldn’t keep those two away,

From that swamp by the Blue Tennessee.

O’ that swamp was full of danger

But it seemed like it passed them by,

Every creature living in it,

Cast on them a friendly eye,

Even the deer would walk a past them,

And the heron wouldn’t fly,

From her nest by the Blue Tennessee.

Came a day in early August,

All the trees they seemed to ring,

All the birds were making music,

Even the Blue-jay tried to sing,

Joe remembered it was Friday,

And the firewood he must bring,

From the swamp by the Blue Tennessee.

Long and far that day they wandered,

Idling neath the hanging bowers,

When we must put for home said Joe,

We done been here forty hours,

Just a minute soon’s I step out here,

And get this bunch of flowers,

Answered Kit by The Blue Tennessee.

Well Joe he stood a waiting,

Making out he was trying to think,

When Kit hollered Joe, Joe, help me Joe,

Be quick I’m going to sink,

Not an instant waited Joe,

But took a jump across that brink,

Of that sink-hole by The Blue Tennessee.

Slimy dutch clutched at her body,

But he caught kits yellow hair,

Caught the little hand she reached him,

Clasped as if to say a prayer,

Drew her from the grinding bog hole,

Saw her standing safely there,

On the path by The Blue Tennessee.

Run, Miss Kitty, Joe exhorted,

Run and fetch those nigger men,

Cutting back across the fields,

We done bought from Colonel Glen,

Then like the devil chase you,

Down the path sped Kitty then,

From the swamp by the Blue Tennessee.

Well an hour or more after,

Twenty men came into view,

Running fast as men could fetch them,

Vine and cane break crashing through,

Toting ropes and poles to make a bridge,

Across that shaking slough,

Of that sink-hole by the Blue Tennessee.

Well they got him by hard tugging,

But his breast was done squashed flat,

He tried to talk and couldn’t,

Only said, “Tell Miss Kit

I done sends my best love to her”.

Every man took of his hat,

As Joe died there by the Blue Tennessee.

O’ I know he used to swear some,

And I ain’t excusing sin,

But I pray The Lord will blot that out,

And make a servant out of Monkey Joe,

And let him tend the gates

To let them out and in,

Monkey Joe from the Blue Tennessee.

 

Monkey Joe gave his life for Miss Kit

Are we willing to give our life for a friend?

Jesus gave his life to save us

Are we willing to give our life for Jesus?

 

Greater love hath no man than this,

that a man lay down

his life for his friends. 

John 15:13