Marlsgate, home of The Littles in Carlise, England. Personal property of the poet. 
​With at least 300 pages of letters to sort through, it was very hard to decide on the very small number of passages to select as found poetry. In this letter from George Little, I was struck by how human beings were lumped together with sheep and wool as commodities.  That was the reason I selected this passage. It was a few years after completing this selection that I discovered why “nothing sells so well as wool”, as seen in the next poem, “Exchange of Goods.”  The image above is from a photograph of a house reported to be the Carlisle, England birthplace of the Little brothers. 
​
George Little's Letter can be read in it's entirety below. 
 “Turn Sinner, Turn, O”
The song lyrics incorporated in this poem are from "Turn Sinner, Turn, O." Once again, I have not been able to find a recording of this song.  The music can be found on page 36  of Slave Songs of the United States. The full lyrics as collected in SSUS follow. 
On this and all lyrics, I have taken some liberties with the transcriptions.  While I understand that the musicologists were trying to faithfully transcribe what they heard, the diction they use is to me reminiscent of black-faced minstrel shows.  If this diction had not so often been used to make a mockery of African American musicians, I would not have this discomfort with using it. I left orginal words intact when I was not sure I understood their meaning. 

​TURN, SINNER, TURN O!
1. Turn, sinner, turn to-day,
Turn sinner, turn O!
Turn, sinner, turn to-day, 
Turn, sinner, turn O!
2. Turn, O sinner, the world da gwine,
Turn, sinner, turn O!
Turn, O sinner, the world da gwine, 
Turn, sinner, turn O!
3. Wait not for tomorrow's sun, 
Turn, sinner, turn O!
Wait not for tomorrow's sun, 
Turn, sinner, turn O!
4. Tomorrow's sun will sure to shine,
Turn, sinner, turn O!
Tomorrow's sun will sure to shine, 
Turn, sinner, turn O!
5. The sun may shine, but on your grave, 
Turn, sinner, turn O! 
The sun may shine, but on your grave, 
Turn, sinner, turn O!
6. Hark! I hear those sinners say, 
Turn, sinner, turn O!
Hark! I hear those sinners say, 
Turn, sinner, turn O!
7 If you get to heaven I'll get there too, 
Turn, sinner, turn O!
If you get to heaven I'll get there too, 
Turn, sinner, turn O!
8. O sinner, you make mistake, 
Turn, sinner, turn O!
O sinner, you make mistake, 
Turn, sinner, turn O!
9. While the lamp holds out to burn, 
Turn, sinner, turn O!
While the lamp holds out to burn, 
Turn, sinner, turn O!
10. The wily sinner may return,
Turn, sinner, turn O!
The  wily sinner may return, 
Turn, sinner, turn O!