The Complete Poems of Paul Laurence Dunbar · Paul Laurence Dunbar

Signs of the Times

102 of 424 · 1 min of reading

Air a-gittin' cool an' coolah,

Frost a-comin' in de night,

Hicka' nuts an' wa'nuts fallin',

Possum keepin' out o' sight.

Tu'key struttin' in de ba'nya'd,

Nary step so proud ez his;

Keep on struttin', Mistah Tu'key,

Yo' do' know whut time it is.

Cidah press commence a-squeakin'

Eatin' apples sto'ed away,

Chillun swa'min' 'roun' lak ho'nets,

Huntin' aigs ermung de hay.

Mistah Tu'key keep on gobblin'

At de geese a-flyin' souf,

Oomph! dat bird do' know whut's comin';

Ef he did he 'd shet his mouf.

Pumpkin gittin' good an' yallah

Mek me open up my eyes;

Seems lak it's a-lookin' at me

Jes' a-la'in' dah sayin' "Pies."

Tu'key gobbler gwine 'roun' blowin',

Gwine 'roun' gibbin' sass an' slack;

Keep on talkin', Mistah Tu'key,

You ain't seed no almanac.

Fa'mer walkin' th'oo de ba'nya'd

Seein' how things is comin' on,

Sees ef all de fowls is fatt'nin'--

Good times comin' sho 's you bo'n.

Hyeahs dat tu'key gobbler braggin',

Den his face break in a smile--

Nebbah min', you sassy rascal,

He 's gwine nab you atter while.

Choppin' suet in de kitchen,

Stonin' raisins in de hall,

Beef a-cookin' fu' de mince meat,

Spices groun'--I smell 'em all.

Look hyeah, Tu'key, stop dat gobblin',

You ain' luned de sense ob feah,

You ol' fool, yo' naik 's in dangah,

Do' you know Thanksgibbin 's hyeah?

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End of part 102 of 424