Race By Tooth Colour

I judge men by the colour of their teeth, And by the colours of their teeth I group them: The Whites we have, The Blacks we have, The Browns we have, And the Yellows too. Life we all start as Whites, and with good care Whites we remain. With less care Yellows we become; With yet lesser care Browns we become; And with least care to Blacks we turn. ‘Tis thus that our descent down the rungs of color Often bespeaks our personal quality. By effort and discipline Blacks, Browns, and Yellows are sometimes to Whites restored: So it is that men can choose what color they'll be If by tooth not skin we judge their color. There is song and speech in the colors of their teeth From which can be gleaned glimpses of their habits and hints of their mettle. But neither song nor speech we find in their skins Which are born mute, live mute, and die mute. So if ever you hear my skin speak, Spinning tales of my habits and mettle, Rather look up my teeth and hear their side. They lack a tan but speak a tonne-- That much I know from my years on earth. The whole truth they may not give But what you get is closer to it!