"Ballad of a Landlord" by Langston Hughes
Landlord, landlord,My roof has sprung a leak.
Don't you 'member I told you about it
Way last week?
Landlord, landlord,
These steps is broken down.
When you come up yourself
It's a wonder you don't fall down.
Ten Bucks you say I owe you?
Ten Bucks you say is due?
Well, that's Ten Bucks more'n I'l pay you
Till you fix this house up new.
What? You gonna get eviction orders?
You gonna cut off my heat?
You gonna take my furniture and
Throw it in the street?
Um-huh! You talking high and mighty.
Talk on-till you get through.
You ain't gonna be able to say a word
If I land my fist on you.
Police! Police!
Come and get this man!
He's trying to ruin the government
And overturn the land!
Copper's whistle!
Patrol bell!
Arrest.
Precinct Station.
Iron cell.
Headlines in press:
MAN THREATENS LANDLORD
TENANT HELD NO BAIL
JUDGE GIVES NEGRO 90 DAYS IN COUNTY JAIL!
This Langston Hughes piece quite clearly deals with the injustices tenants face by their landlords. In the poem, this tenant's landlord has to fix the roof and the stairs; all reasonable requests for a landlord. However instead of fixing these, the landlord first twists the tenant's arm by threatening to evict him and through his furniture on the street. Then he finally yells for the police and since the tenant is poor and black and the landlord is presumably white, they take his word. To finish off the poem injustice is served once again when the tenant is given a three month sentence for a crime he didn't commit.
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