The Complete Poems of Paul Laurence Dunbar/The Plantation Child's Lullaby

by Paul Laurence Dunbar

THE PLANTATION CHILD'S LULLABY

Wintah time hit comin'
  Stealin' thoo de night;
Wake up in the mo'nin'
  Evah t'ing is white;
Cabin lookin' lonesome
  Stannin' in de snow,
Meks you kin' o' nervous,
  Wen de win' hit blow.

Trompin' back from feedin',
  Col' an' wet an' blue,
Homespun jacket ragged,
  Win' a-blowin' thoo.
Cabin lookin' cheerful,
  Unnerneaf de do',
Yet you kin' o' keerful
  Wen de win' hit blow.

Hickory log a-blazin'
  Light a-lookin' red,
Faith o' eyes o' peepin'
  'Rom a trun'le bed,
Little feet a-patterin'
  Cleak across de flo';
Bettah had be keerful
  Wen de win' hit blow.

Suppah done an' ovah,
  Evah t'ing is still;
Listen to de snowman
  Slippin' down de hill.
Ashes on de fiah,
  Keep it wa'm but low.
What's de use o' keerin'
  Ef de win' do blow?

Smoke house full o' bacon,
  Brown an' sweet an' good;
Taters in de cellah,
  'Possum roam de wood;
Little baby snoozin'
  Des ez ef he know.
What's de use o' keerin'
  Ef de win' do blow?