De win' is hollahin' 'Daih you' to de shuttahs an' de fiah, <br />De snow's a-sayin' 'Got you' to de groun', <br />Fu' de wintah weathah 's come widout a-askin' ouah desiah, <br />An' he 's laughin' in his sleeve at whut he foun'; <br />Fu' dey ain't nobody ready wid dey fuel er dey food, <br />An' de money bag look timid lak, fu' sho', <br />So we want ouah Chrismus sermon, but we 'd lak it ef you could <br />Leave a little Chrismus basket at de do'. <br /> <br />Wha 's de use o' tellin' chillen 'bout a Santy er a Nick, <br />An' de sto'ies dat a body allus tol'? <br />When de harf is gray wid ashes an' you has n't got a stick <br />Fu' to warm dem when dey little toes is col'? <br />Wha 's de use o' preachin' 'ligion to a man dat's sta'ved to def, <br />An' a-tellin' him de Mastah will pu'vide? <br />Ef you want to tech his feelin's, save yo' sermons an' yo' bref, <br />Tek a little Chrismus basket by yo' side. <br /> <br />'T ain't de time to open Bibles an' to lock yo' cellah do', <br />'T ain't de time to talk o' bein' good to men; <br />Ef you want to preach a sermon ez you nevah preached befo', <br />Preach dat sermon wid a shoat er wid er hen; <br />Bein' good is heap sight bettah den a-dallyin' wid sin, <br />An' dey ain't nobody roun' dat knows it mo', <br />But I t'ink dat 'ligion 's sweeter w'en it kind o' mixes in <br />Wid a little Chrismus basket at de do'.<br /><br />Paul Laurence Dunbar<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/a-little-christmas-basket/
