MAMMY'S in de kitchen, an' de do' is shet; <br />All de pickaninnies climb an' tug an' sweat, <br />Gittin' to de winder, stickin' dah lak flies, <br />Evah one ermong us des all nose an' eyes. <br />'Whut's she cookin', Isaac?' 'Whut's she cookin', Jake?' <br />'Is it sweet pertaters? Is hit pie er cake?' <br />But we couldn't mek out even whah we stood <br />Whut was mammy cookin' dat could smell so good. <br />Mammy spread de winder, an' she frown an frown. <br />How de pickaninnies come a-tumblin' down! <br />Den she say: 'Ef you-all keeps a-peepin' in, <br />How I'se gwine to whup you, my! 't 'ill be a sin! <br />Need n' come a-sniffin' an' a-nosin' hyeah, <br />'Ca'se I knows my business, nevah feah.' <br />Won't somebody tell us — how I wish dey would! — <br />Whut is mammy cookin' dat it smells so good? <br />We know she means business, an' we dassent stay, <br />Dough it's mighty tryin' fuh to go erway; <br />But we goes a-troopin' down de ol' wood-track <br />'Twell dat steamin' kitchen brings us stealin' back, <br />Climbin' an' a-peepin' so's to see inside. <br />Whut on earf kin mammy be so sha'p to hide? <br />I'd des up an' tell folks w'en I knowed I could, <br />Ef I was a-cookin' t'ings dat smelt so good. <br />Mammy in de oven, an' I see huh smile; <br />Moufs mus' be a-wat'rin' roun' hyeah fuh a mile; <br />Den we almos' hollah ez we hu'ies down, <br />'Ca'se hit's apple dumplin's, big an' fat an' brown! <br />W'en de do' is opened, solemn lak an' slow, <br />Wisht you see us settin' all dah in a row <br />Innercent an' p'opah, des lak chillun should <br />W'en dey mammy's cookin' t'ings dat smell so good.<br /><br />Paul Laurence Dunbar<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/curiosity-14/
