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Plantation echoes

DAHKY, WHUT YO’ DUN?

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Oh, but how er dollah Is er moighty fren’, In de dead o’ wintah, Ef yo’ idle den. Winds dey may be howlin’, Whizzin’ th’ew de trees! Needen’ worry, dahky, Yo’ hain’ gwine to freez! Summah is er flyin’, Breezes gittin’ cool! Beddah be er layin’ In yo’ wintah fuel! Leaves begin to fallin’, Harvestin’ is dun, Birds am now er troopin’ Soufward wid de sun. Hoein’ time is obeah, Dahky take yo’ res’! Th’ow off wockin’ hahness, Don yo’ Sunday bes’! Fiddles an’ de banjos— Git ’em all in tune, ’Nipulate de ditties Gibbs de soul er boon! In de spring an’ summah, Dahky whut yo’ dun? Ridin’ on de skershuns, Habin’ lots o’ fun? Dancin’ wid de ladies, Spen’in’ all yo’ got? Thinkin’ kaze it’s summah, ’Twill be allus hot? Yo’ de kine cum Knockin’ on de cabin do’, Fo’ to get er sistance, Tell ’er tale o’ wo’. Den’s de time to sho’ yo’ We’s no easy thing, ’Videin’ fo’ yo’ stummucks Wid ah hoe earnin’. Whut yo’ needs er lesson In de ’speerence school. Git de realizayshun Whah yo’ bin er fool. Den yo’ll git de idea, Dollah is yo’ fren’, Larn to be mo’ kyahful How yo’ money spen’.

Illustration from Plantation echoes: a collection of original Negro dialect poems
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