Which Celebration?

How funny the poem Flight to Canada was. Ishmael Reed uses the broken dialect of the slave in combination with the historical facts and modern day technology to may fun of the slave master why celebrating the freedom of a runaway slave named Quickskill. The combination of which leaves you laughing and celebrating while reading the letter Flight to Canada.

The former slave Quickskill had leaped to Canada. "I have done my Liza Leap & am safe in the arms of Canada, so Ain't no use your Slave Catchers waitin on me At Trailways I won't be there" (Ll. 3-8) Quickskill has not only ran away North but to Canada where the Slave Catchers can not legally retrieve him. Then he "flew in non-stop Jumbo jet this A.M. Had Champagne Compliments of the Cap'n" (Ll. 10-13) He ran all the way to Canada without any events from the Slave Catchers and then celebrated by sipping on champagne. He traveled "in style" (l. 22) Even the best bred Negro catching dogs could not travel with him. "Besides, your Negro dogs Of Hays & Allen stock can't fly" (Ll. 26-28)

Quickskill was a frequent flyer. He had flew back and forth to Canada three or four times. "Yellow Judas Cato done tole You that I have snuck back to The plantation 3 maybe 4 times" (Ll. 30-33) The mulatto favored house snitch had probably told the Massa that Quick skill had been back and forth to the plantation. While he was at the plantation he made love with his prime slave in the Masa's slave bed. Then Quickskill tricked the Massa's wife into giving him some money from the safe. "Your employees won't miss It & I accept it as a Down payment on my back Wages." (Ll. 60-63) He mocks and ridicules the Massa by referring to the slaves as his employees.

The letter is ended with Quickskill informing the Massa the whiskey he was drinking while reading the letter had been poisoned by him. Quickskill had won his freedom and found a way to abolish his captor as well. When does evil become so bad that the only way to abolish it is by killing. In the letter you are cheering for Quickskill so much that you may even find yourself celebrating Massa's doom.