Elevator Boy
I got a job nowRunnin’ an elevatorIn the Dennison Hotel in Jersey,Job aint no good though.No money around.Jobs are just chancesLike everything else.Maybe a little luck now,Maybe not.Maybe a good job sometimes:Step out o’ the barrel, boy.Two new suits an’A woman to sleep with.Maybe no luck for a long time.Only the elevatorsGoin’ up an’ down,Up an’ down,Or somebody else’s shoesTo shine,Or greasy pots in a dirty kitchen.I been runnin’ thisElevator too long.Guess I’ll quit now.
I got a job nowRunnin’ an elevatorIn the Dennison Hotel in Jersey,Job aint no good though.No money around.Jobs are just chancesLike everything else.Maybe a little luck now,Maybe not.Maybe a good job sometimes:Step out o’ the barrel, boy.Two new suits an’A woman to sleep with.Maybe no luck for a long time.Only the elevatorsGoin’ up an’ down,Up an’ down,Or somebody else’s shoesTo shine,Or greasy pots in a dirty kitchen.I been runnin’ thisElevator too long.Guess I’ll quit now.
I got a job nowRunnin’ an elevatorIn the Dennison Hotel in Jersey,Job aint no good though.No money around.Jobs are just chancesLike everything else.Maybe a little luck now,Maybe not.Maybe a good job sometimes:Step out o’ the barrel, boy.Two new suits an’A woman to sleep with.Maybe no luck for a long time.Only the elevatorsGoin’ up an’ down,Up an’ down,Or somebody else’s shoesTo shine,Or greasy pots in a dirty kitchen.I been runnin’ thisElevator too long.Guess I’ll quit now.
I got a job now
Runnin’ an elevator
In the Dennison Hotel in Jersey,
Job aint no good though.
No money around.
Jobs are just chances
Like everything else.
Maybe a little luck now,
Maybe not.
Maybe a good job sometimes:
Step out o’ the barrel, boy.
Two new suits an’
A woman to sleep with.
Maybe no luck for a long time.
Only the elevators
Goin’ up an’ down,
Up an’ down,
Or somebody else’s shoes
To shine,
Or greasy pots in a dirty kitchen.
I been runnin’ this
Elevator too long.
Guess I’ll quit now.
Langston Hughes.