Classic Poem

Behine de hen-house, on my knees,
Thought I hearn a chickin sneeze —
Sneezed so hard wi' de whoopin'-cough
I thought he'd sneeze his blame' head off.


Chorus

Fotch dat dough fum the kitchin-shed —
Rake dem coals out hot an' red —
Putt on de oven an' putt on de led, —
Mammy's gwineter cook some short'nin' bread.

O I' got a house in Baltimo' —
Street-kyars run right by my do' —
Street-kyars run right by my gate,
Hit's git up soon an' set up late.


(Chorus )

De raincrow hide in some ole tree
An' holler out, all hoarse, at me —
Sayes, " When I sing, de rain hit po'
So's you ain't 'bleedged to plow no mo'! "


(Chorus )

Ole man Toad, on High-low Hill,
He steal my dram an' drink his fill, —
Heels in the path, an' toes in the grass —
Hit ain't de fus' time an' shain't be de las'!


(Chorus )

When corn-plantin' done come roun',
Blackbird own de whole plowed-groun', —
Corn in de grain, as I've hearn said,
Dat's de blackbird's short'nin' bread.


(Chorus )

De sweetes' chune what evah I heard
Is de sairanade o' de mockin'-bird;
Whilse de mou'nfullest an' de least I love
Is de Sund'y-song o' de ole woods-dove.


(Chorus )

I nevah ain't know, outside o' school,
A smartah mare dan my ole mule, —
I holler " Wo, " an' she go " gee, "
Des lak, de good Lord chast'nin' me.


(Chorus )

Hit's no houn'-pup I taken to raise
Hain't nevah jes'ly airn' my praise:
De mo' cawn-pone I feed dat pup,
De mo' he des won't fattnin up.


(Chorus )

I hangs a hoss-shoe ovah my head,
An' I keeps a' ole sieve under de bed,
So, quinchiquently, I sleep soun',
Wid no ole witches pester'n' roun'.


(Chorus )

I jine de chu'ch las' Chuesday night,
But when Sis' Jane ain't treat me right
I 'low her chu'ch ain' none o' mine,
So I 'nounce to all I done on-jine.


(Chorus )