Get Your Ass in the Water and Swim Like Me
African-American Narrative Poetry from the Oral Tradition

Originally published in 1975 and regarded as one of the great collections of African-American literature and folklore, 'Get Your Ass in the Water and Swim Like Me' brings together some of the best examples of the black folk poetry.

Originally published in 1975 and regarded as one of the great collections of African-American literature and folklore, Get Your Ass in the Water and Swim Like Me brings together some of the best examples of the black folk poetry known as 'toasts'. Probably the only surviving form of oral narrative poetry in the US, the 'toasts' collected here tell the myths of African-American culture, from the 'bad man' Stackolee to the black boxer refused a ticket for the Titanic, taking in the African roots tradition and contemporary rap music.

New Foreword by Michele Wallace The Toast World Telling and Learning Toasts Functions and Themes: Violence, Sex, and the Failure of Romance Pimps and Their Ladies: Insult and Reputation Badman and Trickster: Functional Outsiders Shine and the Titanic: Goodbye to Charlie Beyond Poetry The Toasts Badmen, Crime, and Jail Pimps, Whores, and Other Lovers and Friends Freaks and Supersex Signifying and Poolshooting Monkey The Titanic Toasts Miscellaneous Narratives Short Verses and Drinking Toasts Books and Articles Cited Index of Names Index of First Lines