I done got 'uligion, honey, an' I 's happy ez a king; <br />Evahthing I see erbout me 's jes' lak sunshine in de spring; <br />An' it seems lak I do' want to do anothah blessid thing <br />But jes' run an' tell de neighbours, an' to shout an' pray an' sing. <br /> <br />I done shuk my fis' at Satan, an' I 's gin de worl' my back; <br />I do' want no hendrin' causes now a-both'rin' in my track; <br />Fu' I 's on my way to glory, an' I feels too sho' to miss. <br />Wy, dey ain't no use in sinnin' when 'uligion 's sweet ez dis. <br /> <br />Talk erbout a man backslidin' w'en he 's on de gospel way; <br />No, suh, I done beat de debbil, an' Temptation 's los' de day. <br />Gwine to keep my eyes right straight up, gwine to shet my eahs, an' see <br />Whut ole projick Mistah Satan 's gwine to try to wuk on me. <br /> <br />Listen, whut dat soun' I hyeah dah? 'tain't no one commence to sing; <br />It 's a fiddle; git erway dah! don' you hyeah dat blessid thing? <br />W'y, dat's sweet ez drippin' honey, 'cause, you knows, I draws de bow, <br />An' when music's sho' 'nough music, I 's de one dat's sho' to know. <br /> <br />W'y, I 's done de double shuffle, twell a body could n't res', <br />Jes' a-hyeahin' Sam de fiddlah play dat chune his level bes'; <br />I could cut a mighty caper, I could gin a mighty fling <br />Jes' right now, I 's mo' dan suttain I could cut de pigeon wing. <br /> <br />Look hyeah, whut 's dis I 's been sayin'? whut on urf 's tuk holt o' me? <br />Dat ole music come nigh runnin' my 'uligion up a tree! <br />Cleah out wif dat dah ole fiddle, don' you try dat trick agin; <br />Did n't think I could be tempted, but you lak to made me sin!<br /><br />Paul Laurence Dunbar<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/temptation-60/
