Listen to Herbert Martin perform this poem

GRANNY'S gone a-visitin',
          Seen huh git huh shawl
W'en I was a-hidin' down
          Hime de gyahden wall.
Seen huh put her bonnet on,
          Seen huh tie de strings,
An' I'se gone to dreamin' now
          'Bout dem cakes an' t'ings.

On de she'f behime de do'--
          Mussy, wat a feas'!
Soon ez she gits out o' sight,
          I kin eat in peace.
I bin watchin' fu' a week
          Des fu' dis hyeah chance.
Mussy, w'en I gits in daih,
          I'll des sholy dance.

Lemon pie an' gingah-cake,
          Let me set an' t'ink--
Vinegah an' sugah, too,
          Dat'll mek a drink;
Ef dey's one t'ing dat I loves
          Mos' pu'ticlahly,
It is eatin' sweet t'ings an'
          A-drinkin' Sangaree.

Lawdy, won' po' granny raih
          W'en she see de she'f;
W'en I t'ink erbout huh face,
          I's mos' 'shamed myse'f.
Well, she gone, an 'hyeah I is,
          Back behime de do'--
Look hyeah! Gran' 's done 'spected me,
          Dain't no sweets no mo'.

Evah sweet is hid erway,
          Job des done up brown;
Pusson t'ink dat someun t'ought
          Dey was t'eves erroun';
Dat des breaks my heart in two,
          Oh how bad I feel!
Des to t'ink my own gramma
          B'lieved dat I 'u'd steal!
 

Return to the COLLECTION to select another poem.

 


The Paul Laurence Dunbar Web site is a project of the Public Relations office of the University of Dayton. Send comments to dunbar@udayton.edu.

Last modified on February 3, 2003 by the UDRI Web Development Center