Preamble
- "Cane" (poem)
First section:
- "Karintha" - A vignette about a young black woman desired by older men who wish "to ripen a growing thing too soon."
- "Reapers" - A poem written in couplets about reapers in a field, their "silent swinging," and the stark death of a field rat.
- "November Cotton Flower" - A sonnet written in couplets with images of death in nature in the octave. These images become "beauty so sudden" in the sestet.
- "Becky" - Vignette of an ostracized white woman with two black sons who lives in a small stone house with the railway.
- "Face" (poem)
- "Cotton Song" (poem)
- "Carma" - Vignette about a strong woman whose husband becomes involved in shady business.
- "Song of the Son" (poem)
- "Georgia Dusk" (poem)
- "Fern" (short story) - A Northern man attempts to woo a southern black woman, with strange results.
- "Nullo" (poem)
- "Evening Song" (poem)
- "Esther" - A young woman who works in a drug store ages and pines for the wandering preacher Barlo, eventually seeking him out.
- "Conversion" (poem)
- "'Portrait in Georgia" (poem)
- "Blood Burning Moon" - Black man Tom Burwell and white man Bob Stone each pursue the young Louisa, resulting in a violent encounter and a tragic climax.
Second section:
- "Seventh Street" - Brief vignette about a street which is "a bastard of Prohibition and the War."
- "Rhobert" - Brief vignette about a solitary man.
- "Avey" - A young college student pursues a lazy girl named Avey, but cannot figure out why.
- "Beehive" (poem)
- "Storm Ending" (poem)
- "Theater" - A dancer named Dorris seeks the approval and adoration of a patron named John.
- "Her Lips are Copper Wire" (poem)
- "Calling Jesus" - A brief vignette.
- "Box Seat" - Dan Moore lusts after a reluctant Muriel, and follows her to a dwarf fight, where he starts a scene.
- "Prayer" (poem)
- "Harvest Song" (poem)
- "Bona and Paul" - A story of indifferent love.
Third section:
- "Kabnis" - The piece is primarily a dialogue and has elements of a short play. For example, the dialogue does not use tags ("he said") or describe the thoughts of a speaker. There also seem to be stage directions. In addition, "Kabnis" has some non-dramatic elements; it does not follow the format of a professional play. The language consists of highly poetic descriptions with the narrator commenting on the characters' feelings.
