Plantation echoes : $b a collection of original Negro dialect poemsHenderson, Elliott Blaine
General
Plantation echoes : $b a collection of original Negro dialect poems
Henderson, Elliott Blaine
American poetry -- African American authors; Dialect poetry, American
Lawd am boun’ to sen’ de
Changes now an’ den,
Kaze He knows whut’s beddah
Fo’ yo’ in de en’.
Fus’ He sends de sunshine,
Nex’ He sends de rain,
To gibb life an’ viggah
To de gol’en grain.
It’s de rainy weddah,
Buds de flowahs out,
Makes de wattahmilluns
An’ de ’tayters sprout;
It’s de rainy weddah
Makes de fahmahs shout;
Drives erway de famine,
Drives erway de drout.
JES’ KEEP ER LOOKIN’ UP.
Ef yo’ fren’s dey all fo’sake yo’,
Think yo’ gwine flat to de wall,
Salt an’ peppah nebbah’ll save yo’
Fum an ebbah las’in’ fall.
Ef yo’ got de right stuff in yo’,
You’ll keep allus lookin’ up,
’Membrin’ sum de worl’s bes’ jewels
Drunk fum dis same bittah cup!
Ef yo’ habben’ got er dollah,
An’ no place to lay yo’ head,
An’ de meadows an’ de co’n fields
Only places fo’ yo’ bed;
Ef de fo’ks am cuttin’ capeahs
’Fo’ yo’ puttin’ on dey airs,
Wid dey silks an’ wid dey satins,
An’ all uddah kine o’ wares.
Ef yo’ got de right stuff in yo’,
Yo’ll keep allus lookin up,
’Membrin’ sum de worl’s bes’ jewels
Drunk fum dis same bittah cup!
Dey may tramp erpun yo’ feelin’s,
Dey may kick yo’ on de co’n,
An’ may tarn dey nose up at yo’
Ez dey pass yo’ in dey scorn;
Smiles dey nebbah may hab fo’ yo’,
Bes’ yo’ll git will be er frown,
An’ sum wurds mos’ harshly spoken,
Kaze dey think dat yo’ is down.
Ef yo’ got de right stuff in yo’,
Yo’ll keep allus lookin’ up,
’Membrin’ sum de worl’s bes’ jewels
Drunk fum dis same bittah cup!
Ef fo’ bread yo’ ax er bruddah,
An’ instead yo’ git er stone,
An’ yo’ ax fo’ consullayshun,
An’ yo’ bahly git er groan,
An’ sum knock yo’ off yo’ shins,
An’ think yo’ nebah gwine to rise,
Swah to God dey nebbah dun it,
Meekly tell all kine o’ lies;
Let ’em go on hykerflootin’,
Ebbry dog sho’ habs his day;
Dey am uddah months, mah bruddah,
Jes’ es pleasant, ez am May.
Ef yo’ got de right stuff in yo’,
Yo’ll keep allus lookin’ up,
’Membrin’ sum de worl’s bes’ jewels
Drunk fum dis same bittah cup!
WISHED I’D RODE MAH HOSS.
Rode on dat ah ’lectric kyah!
Wished I’d rode mah hoss!
No musstake it raised mah hyah!
Oddah bin er long!
Nebbah seed sech runnin’ son!
Swo’ we’s flyin’ to de sun!
Tho’t dis dahky’s days was dun!
Wished I’d rode mah hoss!
Gee! dat thing did split de ah!
Wished I’d rode mah hoss!
Nuffin’ wid it kin compah!
Oddah bin er long!
Ebbry thing wuz blurred in sight!
Dus’ flew higher den er kite!
Kooden’ tell de lef’ fum right!
Wished I’d rode mah hoss!
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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