Belong to a purer, nobler race;

But why, if they do, and it may be so,

Do their tongues cry, "Yes"—and their actions, "No?"

They tell me, that white is a heavenly hue,

And it may be so, but the sky is blue;

And the first of men—as our old men say,

Had earth-brown skins, and were made of clay.

But throughout my life, I've heard it said,

There's nothing surpasses a tint of red;

Oh, the white man's cheeks look pale and sad,