Seems lak folks is mighty curus <br />In de way dey t'inks an' ac's. <br />Dey jes' spen's dey days a-mixin' <br />Up de t'ings in almanacs. <br />Now, I min' my nex' do' neighbour,-- <br />He's a mighty likely man, <br />But he nevah t'inks o' nuffin <br />'Ceptin' jes' to plot an' plan. <br /> <br />All de wintah he was plannin' <br />How he 'd gethah sassafras <br />Jes' ez soon ez evah Springtime <br />Put some greenness in de grass. <br />An' he 'lowed a little soonah <br />He could stan' a coolah breeze <br />So 's to mek a little money <br />F'om de sugah-watah trees. <br /> <br />In de summah, he 'd be waihin' <br />Out de linin' of his soul, <br />Try 'n' ca'ci'late an' fashion <br />How he 'd git his wintah coal; <br />An' I b'lieve he got his jedgement <br />Jes' so tuckahed out an' thinned <br />Dat he t'ought a robin's whistle <br />Was de whistle of de wind. <br /> <br />Why won't folks gin up dey plannin', <br />An' jes' be content to know <br />Dat dey 's gittin' all dat's fu' dem <br />In de days dat come an' go? <br />Why won't folks quit movin' forrard? <br />Ain't hit bettah jes' to stan' <br />An' be satisfied wid livin' <br />In de season dat 's at han'? <br /> <br />Hit 's enough fu' me to listen <br />W'en de birds is singin' 'roun', <br />'Dout a-guessin' whut 'll happen <br />W'en de snow is on de groun'. <br />In de Springtime an' de summah, <br />I lays sorrer on de she'f; <br />An' I knows ol' Mistah Wintah <br />Gwine to hustle fu' hisse'f. <br /> <br />We been put hyeah fu' a pu'pose, <br />But de questun dat has riz <br />An' made lots o' people diffah <br />Is jes' whut dat pu'pose is. <br />Now, accordin' to my reas'nin', <br />Hyeah's de p'int whaih I 's arriv, <br />Sence de Lawd put life into us, <br />We was put hyeah fu' to live!<br /><br />Paul Laurence Dunbar<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/foolin-wid-de-seasons/
