Plantation echoes : $b a collection of original Negro dialect poems — John Shaqi
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
Gibb him mo’ coon dumplin’s, Dina!
Sakes! he’s jes’ fell into eat.
Tote him few dem frizzlin’ passnups,
Lecktrifies yo’ to yo’ feet!
Whah’s ol’ Susan Peecock, Trussy?
Is de debbil got her yet?
Sakes o’ lie! she’s got mo’ husban’s
Den yo’s fingers got, I’ll bet!
Cum on wid dem pig tails, Dina!
Doan’ be primpin’ in de glass!
Mussen’ make de ol’ man wait so,
Yo’ look poody nuf to pass.
Bress de Lawd! whee! glory! glory!
No joke, dem am sizzlin’ hot!
Lissen at de res’ dem fellahs
Prayin’ an’ singin’ in de pot!
Go ’way, Fido! see hyeah, Dina!
Kick dat debbil out de do’!
Ebbry time he sniffs dem chittlins
He’s er hangin’ ’roun’ hyeah, sho’.
See hyeah, chile! yo’ hain’t th’ew eatin’,
Rake mo’ dumplin’s on yo’ plate!
Go dem flapp jacks, sum dat grabey,
Eat ’long in de mopein’ gait.
Pass de ol’ man few dem biskits;
B’lieve I’ll take sum poke chops, too!
Little mo’ dat drap down coffee,
Nuddah dose dat bullyun stew.
Go on in de pollah, Trussy,
Ef yo’ got ernuf to eat.
I’ll be th’ew in jes’ er minute,
Den we’ll go an’ thrash sum wheat.
IS YO’ LONESUM, HONEY?
Ez de twilight fall,
An’ de koo-koo call,
An’ yo’ doan’ hyeah ’tall
Dis hyeah coon’s foot fall,
Is yo’ lonesum, Honey?
Ez de moon creep high,
In de starlit sky,
An’ yo’ sot an’ sigh,
Kaze I doan’ cum nigh,
Is yo’ lonesum, Honey?
Ez de night creep on,
Till de sun brings dawn,
Ez yo’ wake an’ yawn
In de cool ob de morn,
Still, yo’ lonesum, honey?
LARN TO HE’P YO’SE’F.
Bruddah Dahky, ef yo’d win,
Larn to he’p yo’se’f.
Mussen’ stop fo’ knocks on shin,
Larn to he’p yo’se’f.
Stop yo’ whinin’, try an’ try,
Take no time to weep an’ sigh.
Dah’s whahin’ yo’ success lie.
Larn to he’p yo’se’f.
Yo’ mus’ fus’ prove yo’s er man.
Larn to he’p yo’se’f.
Try’n to ’skewt sum noble plan,
Larn to he’p yo’se’f.
Oh, de white fo’ks knows yo’s brave,
Fo’ dis freedom lan’ to save,
Dat yo’ fit on lan’ an’ wave.
Larn to he’p yo’se’f.
All de white fo’ks hain’t yo’ foe.
Larn to he’p yo’se’f.
Dey will gibb yo’ plenty, sho’.
Ef yo’ he’p yo’se’f.
All er long dey’s bin mos’ kine,
He’p’d yo’ ’long er many line,
Is to all dis yo’ stone bline?
Larn to he’p yo’se’f.
Dah’s Abe Linkum, Phillips, too,
Larn to he’p yo’se’f.
Bet yo’ life dey fit fo’ yo’.
Larn to he’p yo’se’f.
Thousands mo’ dat I kood name,
’Mong dem, men o’ nashnul fame,
Fo’ yo’ dahky dun de same.
Larn to he’p yo’se’f.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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