I'S a-gittin' weary of de way dat people do, <br />De folks dat's got dey 'ligion in dey fiahplace an' flue; <br />Dey's allus somep'n comin' so de spit'll have to turn, <br />An' hit tain't no p'oposition fu' to mek de hickory bu'n. <br />Ef de sweet pertater fails us an' de go'geous yallah yam, <br />We kin tek a bit o' comfo't f'om ouah sto' o' summah jam. <br />W'en de snow hit git to flyin', dat's de Mastah's own desiah, <br />De Lawd'll run de wintah an' yo' mammy'll run de fiah. <br />I ain' skeered because de win' hit staht to rain and blow, <br />I ain't bothahed w'en he come er rattlin' at de do', <br />Let him taih hisse'f an' shout, let him blow an' bawl, <br />Dat's de time de branches shek an' bresh-wood 'mence to fall. <br />W'en de sto'm er railin' an' de shettahs blowin' 'bout, <br />Dat de time de fiah-place crack hits welcome out. <br />Tain' my livin' business fu' to trouble ner enquiah <br />De Lawd'll min' de wintah an' my mammy'll min' de fiah. <br />Ash-cake allus gits ez brown w'en February's hyeah <br />Ez it does in bakin' any othah time o' yeah. <br />De bacon smell ez callin'-like, de kittle rock an' sing, <br />De same way in de wintah dat dey do it in de spring; <br />Dey ain't no use in mopin' 'round an' lookin' mad an' glum <br />Erbout de wintah season, fu' hit's des plumb boun' to come; <br />An' ef it comes to runnin' t'ings I's willin' to retiah, <br />De Lawd'll min' de wintah an' my mammy'll min' de fiah.<br /><br />Paul Laurence Dunbar<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/faith-157/
