The enjoy of Jubilee Carter at the Nathan Bedford Forest Day Carnival

Stroll, friends, beat feet

against well worn ground.

See prized pies cooling

pennies for slices the say

nickels for the whole thing.

See the freaks, gnarled trees

grown without the light of God

See the animals with ribbons

prized heifer, prized pig

See the outhouses rowed, all

**** and dark splintery wood

See Jubilee Carter ravished

by the Austrian strong man

they call Ignatz the Big.

She cries and shouts and

invokes her Lord, O but

the cows are lowing and

the children are playing

and what are screams

on a such warm, sunny day.

She writhes and roils

until Ignatz’ heavy paws

grasp her neck, her head

and twisted to break bone.

Part ways, travel on

entertainers, those entertained.

We leave, Ignatz leaves but

Jubilee Carter remains.

Ravaged and savaged by a

foreign stranger welcomed in.

Still he roams, town to town

Do you, friend, do you want

any more of Austria’s evil?

Write your governor, friend

tell him to send them back!

-Silas K. Stokes, 1927