American Names Comments

When I read the poem, I say Blue-Gummed Brother. That's what it ought to be.

How about simply " a blue-gummed black to sing me blues."

Have always wondered who they were, John Andrews! And have never memorized the poem because of that blue-gum line. Liking the suggestions below, but not sure about the ethics of changing someone else's line, no matter how distasteful and archaic it is.

Chris Flannery featured this on his American Story podcast recently, very moving. Who do you think he means by Henry and John in stanza 6? Some blogger suggested two American expats tending to favor Europe over the USA, Henry Adams and John Dos Passos. I'm not persuaded. One could be Henry James, though. The other perhaps John Reed. Your guesses?

How about a New Orleans man to sing me the blues?

How wonderful! He captured that essence that belongs only to us.

Substitute “and a Muddy Waters to sing me blues” in the next-to-last line of the 4th stanza.